A Successful First Psychology Day for Undergraduates

by Clementine Tousey

On Friday, February 24, 2014, students and faculty from Adelphi’s Gordon F. Derner Institute for Advanced Psychological Studies gathered for the Institute’s first Psychology Day. “The goal of the event was to build community among undergraduate psychology majors, showcase opportunities for our sophomores—such as internships, the Emerging Scholars Program, clubs, and study abroad—introduce psychology to undecided majors, and provide concrete training to students,” said Francine Conway, Ph.D. ’99, professor of psychology and chair of the undergraduate psychology department, who organized the event. Students who attended it earned a certificate of participation in social skills training.

Psychology Day Student Leaders

Students participated in activities, exercises and discussion groups. At booths set up around the room, student leaders to fellow students on organizations and programs such as Psi Chi, the Psychology Club and the Emerging Scholars Program.

Geremy Grant, a Derner student leader, said, “I wanted to advocate for the Emerging Scholars Program and increase our campus awareness so undergraduates know about all the research opportunities available to them.”

Kelsey McLaughlin, another leader, said, “I came to the event because Derner always provides its students with the most exciting opportunities, and I didn’t want to miss out on an event that could open multiple doors to me in the future.”

Ionas Sapountzis, Ph.D., an associate professor and director of the master’s program in school psychology, gave the keynote address on social skills and relationships.

Priyam Talraja ’09, who majored in psychology and economics at Adelphi is now pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at LIU Brooklyn, returned to campus for the event. She said her Adelphi undergraduate degree prepared her well for her doctoral studies, and she came to speak with current students and because, “The [Adelphi] faculty have been so supportive and such great mentors that I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see them again.”