Academic Excellence Award
The Academic Excellence in Psychology Award honors the performance of undergraduate students in major classes and one award will be given annually for each major (PSY, BNS). Recipients of the prestigious award will have demonstrated scientific literacy, time management skills, outstanding in-class participation, excellent written or/and oral skills, critical thinking, and overall academic excellence. Award recipients are nominated by the Psychology faculty and selected by the Psychology Department Awards Committee.
Nomination Process
Psychology faculty will nominate candidates by submitting a supportive letter to the Psychology Department Awards Committee. Along with describing why the student is deserving of this award, please make sure this letter includes:
- The student’s GPA
- Relevant coursework
- 1-2 artifacts of their work (e.g., paper or other assignment)
Timeline and Recognition
The Awards Committee will send an email calling for nominations beginning in December and faculty will have until mid-February to submit letters. The letters can be submitted anytime up until the deadline.
Winners will be selected in February and be announced in early March. Winners will be recognized at the Psychology Department Awards Ceremony in April. They will receive a framed certificate and they will be featured on the Department website.
Recipients of the Academic Excellence Award
Emma Fairchild (Psychology)
How did you become interested in psychology?
I became interested in psychology after taking a psychology course in high school. I loved how versatile the field was and how it can be used to explain a lot of what we see in our everyday lives. This initial psychology course is what really sparked my love for psychology and made me want to pursue a career in it!
What has been your favorite psychology class and why?
I think my favorite psychology class was Psychology of Language (PSY 357). I loved this class because it blended a lot of areas of interest that I have into one course, it talked about development, disability, and education which are all areas that I love learning about. Understanding how we develop language was really interesting to learn about and has stuck with me throughout my education.
What are you planning to do after graduation?
After graduation, I am planning on traveling and spending some much needed time with my friends and family before continuing my education at GVSU in the School Psychology Master Specialist program in the fall!
Hanna Dobson (Behavioral Neuroscience)
How did you become interested in psychology?
I began at Grand Valley as a business major, then I took an accounting class and quickly realized it was NOT for me. In high school, I took a psychology class and really enjoyed the concepts, so I switched to psychology my freshman year. I found I really enjoyed the physiology and neurology behind behavior, so I switched to behavioral neuroscience, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.
What has been your favorite psychology class and why?
I loved my child development class with Professor Magnuson and psychopharmacology with Professor Valdez. Both classes were fascinating to me, but having really engaging, passionate professors made me want to come to these classes and succeed.
What are you planning to do after graduation?
This fall I’ll be moving to MSU to join their Behavioral Neuroscience Program to get my Doctorates in Psychology. I will be working with Professor Lonstein there researching maternal social behavior in rodent models. Beyond graduate school, I am just going to see where the road takes me.