BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES NEWS • SPRING 2020 • NUMBER 22

DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT CHAIR PHONE: 417-873-7254/E-MAIL VLUTTREL@DRURY.EDU

Hailey Diestelkamp: NCAA Division II Player of the Year

Letter from the Chair

Hi, my name is Hailey Di-estelkamp. After four years of playing basketball here at Drury, our team has accom-plished so much. As a senior, our graduating class had an overall record of 128-8. We also won four conference champion-ships in a row, accomplished many goals, and broke many records as a team. Individually, I broke several records, including scoring a total of 53 points in a single game, and I became Drury’s all-time leader in scoring and rebounding. Recently, I was named the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and was nominated

At Drury, campus traditions are important. Faculty Dinner and Dessert, the Fireworks Display, Overflow at the O’, Christmas Vespers, the Commencement Ceremonies . . . what amazing memories we build! This semester posed unprec-edented challenges for students, faculty, and staff. Faced with stay at home orders, all classes were moved online, on-site housing was closed, and students left campus after spring break. This is not how any of us planned to end the semester, and it is not how our graduates had planned to end their college careers. Because the commencement ceremony was postponed, we decided to turn the spotlight on our graduating seniors in this very special issue. When we asked students to participate, they came together from across the nation and abroad to share their stories. If you are familiar with past Drury traditions, think of it as the Sou’wester Yearbook re-invented! We also take a moment to provide updates on recent alumni who took a gap year after college as well as some timely program developments for Fall 2020. Sim-ply put, it’s a great issue!

Vickie Luttrell, ‘86

for the Honda Women’s Player of the Year. Although these accomplishments mean so much to me, I could not have done it without my teammates and coaches. They pushed me to my limits and made me a better person on and off of the court. Off of the court, Drury has been so good to me. I am a Psychology major with a minor in Criminology. Throughout my years at Drury, I have made so many friendships and relation-ships that will last a lifetime. The relationships and support I have received from my profes-sors over my four years at Drury will be one of the things I remember most. Pro-

fessors in the Department of Behavioral Sciences took me in as one of their own, and they were never afraid to answer my questions or work with my basketball schedule. After graduating from Drury, I will begin my graduate educa-tion in Social Work, while also coaching at a University. With my continuing education, I want to be able to provide needs for young children so that they can live their lives to the fullest. I want to be a light in some of those kids’ lives who do not have a light shining. Overall, I cannot thank Drury enough for the amazing memories I have made.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Graduating Seniors

Danie AlexanderI grew up in Bolivar, Missouri and gradu-ated from high school in 2013. I attended Ozarks Technical Community College for two years on an A+ scholarship and received my Associate of Arts in May of 2015. I transferred to Missouri State Univer-sity in the Fall of 2015, and finally trans-ferred to Drury University in the Spring of 2016. This May I will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology, respectively. I have absolutely loved my time at DU. Our professors are unlike any others; they really, really care about each of us and are so passionate about what they do. My favorite professors have been Dr. Jeanie Allen and Dr. James Davidson. They went above and beyond during my time here, and I will be forever grateful. This fall, I will be attending the University of Florida as a graduate student in the Musicology depart-ment. My time at Drury has been incred-ible, and I will never forget the people who touched my life here.

Bethany BiermanI will be graduating with degrees in both Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience and Spanish, as well as minors in Advanced Scientific Analysis, Community Health, and Sociology. Drury definitely helped me reach my full potential! I graduated from Nerinx Hall High School in St. Louis hoping to pursue a degree in Psychology, but after coming to Drury, I realized that I was inter-ested in so many other fields. My favorite part about attending Drury was being able to explore all of the topics I am interested in, which was 100% made possible by my awesome professors and advisors. In the fall, I start working towards my PhD in Clinical Psychology at UMKC, where I get to research the branch of psychology I am most passionate about, Positive Psychology. My graduate mentor studies the physiologi-cal markers of entering into flow using GSR and facial muscle movement, but he wants to start using EEG as well. It’s definitely right up my alley!

Jessica Archuleta-TrujilloMy name is Jessica Archuleta-Trujillo. I am a triple major in psychology, criminol-ogy, and sociology and a triple minor in advanced scientific analysis, community health, and animal studies. I came to Drury in the fall of 2017 from Alamosa High School in Alamosa, Colorado. At Drury, I worked at Olin Library as a circulation desk assistant and the art collection assistant. I was also part of the Drury Track and Field team as a hurdler/sprinter, a senator for the Student Government Association, a member of the Behavioral Sciences Club and Drury Volunteer Corps, and partici-pated in the Summit Park Leadership pro-gram. After graduation, I will be moving to Boulder, Colorado and interning with Blue Sky Bridge, which is a nonprofit child and family advocacy program. I will also be applying to graduate school to get my master’s in psychology. My ultimate goal is to become a trauma counselor and create a program that offers emotional support through animal therapy.

Sophia BlackI will be graduating with degrees in Psychol-ogy and Business Management as well as a minor in Spanish. At Drury, I was involved as a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, Behav-ioral Sciences Club, Orientation Staff, and Admissions Staff. For Zeta Tau Alpha, I served as Director of Philanthropy, Vice President of Membership and Retention, and President. I was also inducted into four honor societies: Alpha Lambda Delta, Gamma Sigma Alpha, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Psi Chi. My favorite thing about Drury University was having the ability to be so involved on campus and within the commu-nity. Apart from my involvement on cam-pus, I also spent time volunteering for the Springfield Dream Center and Big Broth-ers Big Sisters of the Ozarks as a lunch buddy. After graduation, I will be returning home to Kansas City to work for Cerner as an Academy Consultant. This position will allow me to travel to clients across the country to help with training efforts.

Johnell CanfieldWhen I graduated from Hollister High School in 2016, I was looking for a place like Drury to continue the next chapter of my life, and I am so thankful I did. Drury University has become my home and has given me opportunity after opportunity to grow and succeed. I am a double major in Psychology and Fine Art with a minor in Community Health. I have many passions in my life and with the help of Drury, I was able to pursue and grow towards a career in Art Therapy. Along with my studies, I have participated in activities like studying abroad in Greece, partaking in gallery showings during the First Friday Art Walks, and volunteering in the Spring-field community. I was also involved with the Humane Society and the Behavioral Sciences Club, as well as being a member of the Psi Chi and ALD honor societies. As I turn the page to the next chapter of my life, I plan to travel and further my education to make my dreams a reality.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Class of 2020

Micah BurdickIn 2016, I graduated from Willard High School. That same year I started my journey at Drury University and began memories that will last a lifetime. Fresh-man year, I decided I would major in Psy-chology, Criminology, and Sociology with a minor in Behavioral Neuroscience. Drury became a home away from home, spend-ing long nights in Pearsons lab during the week and weekends with friends, who I now consider to be family. My professors allowed me to go through many emotional breakdowns in their offices and then build me back up, giving me the chance to walk out smiling each time. I always enjoyed the conversations with professors, especially in regards to the Walking Dead (you know who you are). Following graduation, I will be working my summer away at Burrell Behavioral Health and starting in August, I will begin my Master’s degree in Coun-seling and Clinical Psychology at Evangel University in Springfield.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Graduating Seniors

Mackenzie CoxHi, I’m Mackenzie! I’m a Sociology major, and I’m from Chicago, where I attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. At Drury, I explored various disciplines, such as Arts Administration, Communication, and Writing before settling on Sociology. Though my interests have remained diverse, it was in Sociology 101 with Dr. Deros-sett that I knew I found my place at Drury. In my final semester, I am grateful to the professors who took the time to know me and to challenge me. I appreciate the interdisciplinary mentorship I have received through exciting opportunities, such as five semesters of assisting professorial research (including presenting at an undergradu-ate conference, and grant-funded archival research at Princeton University) as well as self-publishing a book of poetry. As I prepare for graduation, I am sure of three things: I love research, I love to write, and I love coffee! I hope to continue my engage-ment with all three.

Kaylee DimirskyI attended Ava High School in the small town of Ava, Missouri. When I first got to Drury, I was undecided about my major, but I soon found my place in the Depart-ment of Behavioral Sciences. I am double majoring in Criminology and Psychology, and I have a minor in Law and Society. My favorite classes were Positive Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and the Death Penal-ty. When I was in high school and exploring my options to attend college, Drury instant-ly stood out to me because of its small class sizes and tight-knit community. Although I didn’t understand the importance of it at the time, Drury’s small classes sizes allowed me to get to know my professors on a personal level that I will forever be grate-ful for. I do not have any solid career plans after graduation, but I would like to find a way to combine my interests in criminology and psychology and work with children who have been abused and neglected, so I have no doubt that this will be my career focus!

Kasey CazaresI graduated from Calexico High School in California and then attended Louisiana State University in Alexandria to play on a Softball Scholarship. I transferred to Drury in the spring semester of my sophomore year. Coming in as an undecided major, the advisors really helped me discover what I wanted to study – Psychology & Criminol-ogy. I immediately fell in love with the staff, the facility, and my softball teammates and felt comfortable here. I really enjoyed taking Dr. Long’s criminology classes and Dr. Lut-trell’s biopsychology class. They both helped me test my limits in creating test taking skills. I enjoyed the pressure I felt after turn-ing in assignments or taking exams because I knew that I had put so much work into it. After graduation, I plan to take online courses to complete my master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) where I will have the opportunity to reunify fami-lies that have been separated.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Wyatt EubanksI am a second generation Panther and have thoroughly enjoyed my last four years at Drury University. After graduating Strafford High School in Missouri in 2016, I wasn’t quite sure where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do, but I found exactly what I was looking for when I decided to attend Drury. Although I was originally planning on a career in the medical field, I quickly realized this was not for me and made the switch to become a Criminology major with a Spanish minor. Although I have many great memories from my time at Drury, I am most grateful for the opportunity I had to travel to Spain in the summer of 2019. I will miss the relationships I developed, not only in gaining new friends, but also with my professors. Without them, I would not have been able to achieve the academic suc-cess I had. After graduation, I plan to pur-sue a career in law enforcement and hope to work for a federal law enforcement agency.

Kaitlyn GreenwoodHi I’m Kaitlyn Greenwood! I’m a graduat-ing senior this year with a major in Behav-ioral Neuroscience and minors in Commu-nity Health and Psychology. I chose Drury because of Jerry Redfern and his love and passion for this university. From the minute I stepped on campus, I knew this was the place for me. I’ve made life-long friends here and done things I never imagined I would have the courage to do. From performing in a comedy show freshman year, to presenting at the RENS symposium senior year. I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone time and time again by those who saw in me what I didn’t quite see in myself. To every professor that has taken the time to get to know me and believe in me, I am forever grateful. These last 3 years have been the best of my life thus far. I have no doubt I’ll be wishing I could relive these days when I’m in medical school. Thanks for all the memories Drury Family.

Class of 2020Samantha HarlowI am a senior at Drury University. I attended Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas and enjoyed all of my classes. My favorite class was science, and the experi-ments were the best. I also joined the high school band my freshman year and played for all four years. When I started college, I did not know what I wanted to major in. I bounced from Music Therapy to Biology and then to Psychology. I found out that I enjoyed learning about why people do the things they do and am always fascinated by the reasons behind the behaviors. There are a lot of fun events at Drury but one event I have always loved is the fireworks show at the beginning of the year. I get to see all of my friends after a whole summer apart. I love the music and being outside as well as the pineapple whip. I am not sure about where I will land after graduation, but I hope to find a job where I can thrive and explore new possibilities.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Graduating Seniors

Theresa HofeldtMy name is Theresa Hofeldt, and I am graduating with a major in Psychology-Research Track, a double minor in Commu-nity Health and Music, countless amazing stories, and an immeasurable love for Drury and everyone I have met here. After gradu-ation, I will begin an Occupational Therapy Assistant program in Minnesota and am currently drawn to the thought of working in the school district with the grade school-aged population. I also plan to build a tiny house and live in a tiny home community for homeless residents as a neighbor and friend. Drury offers so many opportunities for its students to make connections with people, and within themselves, through professional internships, clubs, research, teaching and laboratory assistant programs, and tons more. The guidance I got from advisors, professors, and friends brought me from a state of confusion and indecisive-ness to where I am today with a plan for a path into my future.

Aitor Martinez I am a senior international student majoring in Psychology. Before coming to Drury, I studied one year of Psychology in Univer-sidad Camilo José Cela at Madrid, Spain. It is a private University that is owned by the institution San Estanislao de Kostka (SEK) where I also received my high school education. Coming to Drury is one of the best decisions of my life. I was part of the swimming team where I made a lot of friends, and I am thankful to all of my professors. Drury’s staff is composed of amazing professionals who really care about their students. This was really important to me, particularly in the beginning, when I was struggling with the new language and culture. After graduation, I will be in Spain working, and I plan to earn a master’s de-gree in Sport Psychology. My dream is to be the best sport psychologist in the world and help athletes to combine their personal and professional lives with their goals in sport. We will see what the future holds for me!

Anna HoodI graduated from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri in 2015. I came straight to Drury and soon learned that I love learning about people and how to help them. I will now be graduating with a BA in Psychology-Research Track, a BA in Criminology, and a minor in Biology. I am the first person in my immediate family to go to University, so my family is very proud of me. The best part of being at a place like Drury has to be the professors and the personalized help you receive from them. My professors have made my experience so memorable and worthwhile. I would not be the person I am today if I had not learned from them. I am so grateful for the educa-tion I have received from Drury and hope it will help me create a happy and stable future. After graduation, I will definitely be using what I learned in methods, statistics, and advanced behavioral research, because I hope to work at Burrell Behavioral Health in Springfield as a Data Collector!

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Cameron MontanaMy name is Cameron Montana, and I am from Nixa, Missouri. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Criminology. I chose Drury because both of my parents studied here, and I wanted to experience what they did. My time at Drury has been both exciting and well worth the effort. During my time at Drury, I was able to develop my skills in leadership through my time in student government and my fraternity Sigma Pi. I have grown as an individual through the organizations I have been a part of, the people I have had the chance to meet, and the classes I took and what they taught me. Without a doubt, my favorite classes were Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Victimology. After my time here at Drury is done, I plan on starting a career in human resources, and I plan to eventually attend graduate school to pursue a degree in Industrial Organiza-tional Psychology.

Bailee NunnI am graduating with a major in psychol-ogy and a minor in community health. I just ended my swimming career at Drury, which is where I first started my competi-tive swimming career almost 12 years ago. I was named GLVC Swimmer of the Year in 2016-17 and was also named the NCAA-II Swimmer of the Year in 2017-18 after taking home four individual national titles. During my four years of college, I have collected 10 individual first place national titles, along with a total of 21 NCAA-II national titles. I have also broken two NCAA-II records in the 50 free and 200 breaststroke. Although my senior National swim meet ended without being able to complete our final three days, I will carry the memories of my time at Drury along with my teammates and coaches with me forever. Thank you DU Swimming and Drury University for the unforget-table memories and wonderful experiences throughout my collegiate experience.

Class of 2020

Laura NelsonHello! I am a Criminology and Psychol-ogy double major from Nebraska, who has wanted to go to Drury since the 8th grade. I graduated from Seward High School in 2016 and that fall, my dream of becoming a Panther came true. My love for Drury University began in 2010, when I attended my aunt’s graduation in Weiser gym. Later I would learn that Drury offered the Inno-cence Project Clinic and wrongful convic-tions have been a passion of mine, so this was also a selling point. Over my 4 years at Drury, I discovered my love for the behavioral sciences, and I hope to pursue a career in anti-human trafficking, eventually finding myself in the FBI someday. Drury has prepared me so well for my future, but most importantly, it has left me with memorable experiences and relationships that will last a lifetime. However, my favor-ite part of Drury will always be Pearsons Hall, 2nd floor.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Graduating Seniors

Karinne PiattMy name is Karinne Piatt. I grew up in Harrison, Arkansas and graduated from Val-ley Springs High School. Now a graduating senior, I am double majoring in Psychology and Criminology and minoring in Sociology. By combining all three disciplines, I have been able to study things like adolescence and emerging adulthood, biology of clinical disorders, juvenile delinquency, drugs and society, and forensic science, and I found all of these topics to be fascinating. On the extracurricular side, I ran a Twitter account with my best friend called DU Crushes in which I interacted with over 1000 students in order to promote positivity along with love and relationships. I’m cur-rently being mentored by a director from a child advocacy center in my hometown in hopes of becoming certified as a forensic child interviewer. I also plan on going to graduate school to expand my education in order to help adolescents going through traumatic experiences.

Arianna RobinsonHello, my name is Arianna Robinson! With a general interest in psychology, I picked it as my declared major upon arriving to Drury. After LOVING my biopsychol-ogy class (yes, really!), I discovered that my current major offered a more focused and challenging program and switched to the clinical and behavioral neuroscience major. I have cherished every minute of my experi-ence at Drury, from living with friends on campus to developing supportive relation-ships with professors. I will miss it greatly! Outside of class, I was on the cheer team my freshman year and was involved in Psi Chi, serving as an officer several years. I spent my off-campus time working, staying active, and soaking up Springfield! I will be attending Missouri State University this fall for the master’s in Industrial-Organizational psychology program and have a passion for promoting mental and physical health in all aspects of life.

Anna PerkinsMy name is Anna Perkins, and I am gradu-ating with a double major in Psychology and Criminology with a minor in chemistry. I graduated from Ridgeway High School in Memphis, Tennessee in 2015 and although I didn’t start school here, I’m so sad to leave. I fell in love with Drury because of the personalization of my campus tours and kept loving it for the homey feel it gave me every time I walked into a classroom. The Department of Behavioral Sciences gave me so much support whenever I needed it, which I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. I think of Pearsons like a second home, one that I never thought I’d be so sad to move out of. Choosing Drury was the best possible decision I could have made, and I only regret not coming here sooner. After graduating, I will be working at my current job as a cashier until I find a job I’ll love. If I could do it again, I would definitely come to Drury in a heartbeat, and I guess that truly is the DU difference.

Whitnee RogersI’m a senior and graduated from Rich Central High School, which is in the south suburbs of Chicago, in 2014. I spent one year at Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, and took a gap year before mak-ing the transition to Drury. I am majoring in Psychology-Applied Track with a minor in Criminology. I am also a member of Kappa Delta and have been an Orientation Leader twice. Last year, I was an intern at the Greene County Juvenile Justice System in the Youth Academy Unit, and this year, I interned at Lakewood Assisted Living. I really liked both of my internships, because I got the opportunity to get hands on experience. After graduating from Drury, I plan to earn a master’s degree in Criminal Justice, and I am interested in working for the FBI. The thing I have loved most about Drury is how welcoming everyone has been since day one. I am thankful for all of the people I have met at Drury, from my peers to my professors.

Jeana ScottHello! I’m Jeana Ruthann Scott, and I’m a Psychology and Sociology double major. I went to Raymore-Peculiar High School in Missouri and found out about Drury through a Leadership Program I attended every summer from seventh grade to senior year in high school. So, you can say I’ve been a Panther for a while! Some of my favorite memories have happened on Drury’s campus. The best of those memo-ries was being given the opportunity to be a member of a Summit Park Leadership Team with my two closest friends while making a difference in my community. Drury also gave me the opportunity to intern abroad in Rome, Italy where I got to help literacy resources get connected to a refugee center! I cannot thank my family enough for all the support and love they have given me, especially from my mom and dad. I can’t put into words how blessed I’ve been to have the opportunities Drury has given me. God is certainly good!

Kellie SherrerMy name is Kellie Sherrer. I went to Waynesville High School in Waynesville, Missouri. I am graduating in May 2020 with a Psychology and English double major and a Criminology minor. There are a lot of things that I like about Drury. Some of the best are the professors that I have had the privilege of getting to know very well and having the freedom to learn about myself in a highly safe environment. During my time at Drury University, I was able to explore so many different topics, like theories of per-sonality, juvenile delinquency, and wrongful convictions, and this allowed me to become sure of what I want to do with the rest of my life after I graduate. I am going to take a year off to work in the social work field before I go into a graduate program in clini-cal psychology. I plan on gaining a doc-toral degree in the next five plus years and starting my career as a clinical psychologist. Specifically, I am planning on specializing in child clinical psychology.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Class of 2020

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

Graduating Seniors

Lorelei ValkenburgI’ll be graduating from Drury with a triple major in Psychology, Sociology, and Crimi-nology. It has been a winding path to this milestone. My life’s goal was to become a figure skating coach, and I volunteered for years as an assistant coach after skating for 13 years. However, new coaches weren’t being hired due to the economy being weakened after the housing bubble burst of 2008. After going to an interview and competing with individuals with bachelor’s degrees, I felt completely unqualified so I received my GED in 2011 and got licensed to be a Certified Nursing Aide. I joined the Army Reserves in 2012 and am still cur-rently serving. I received an associate degree in 2015 from Ozarks Technical Community College with a 4.0 GPA. After being delayed by several service-related health issues and changes in career goals, I will graduate from Drury and will attend Missouri University of Science and Technology for my master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Kaitlynn WagnerI graduated from Waynesville High School in May 2016 and decided to attend my mother’s Alma Mater, Drury University. I majored in Psychology and Criminology with minors in Advanced Scientific Analysis, Sociology, and Behavioral Neuroscience. My favorite part of attending Drury was the close community and all the friends I made. I really enjoyed the small class sizes and the discussions that these allowed. I also got to be very involved with Drury’s Habitat for Humanity Chapter. This club allowed me to help others and meet many people who live in the Springfield community. This also allowed me to have a lot of fun and col-laborative opportunities with other students, not only from Drury but also MSU and Evangel. After graduation, I am looking forward to living overseas in Germany with family and experiencing other European cultures. I want to thank my Drury family for these great opportunities.

Dani VaughnI graduated from Herculaneum High School in Herculaneum, MO in 2018. I also finished my Associate of Arts degree while in high school from Jefferson Col-lege. At Drury, I am earning my Bachelor of Arts degree in Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience, with a minor in Advanced Scientific Analysis. I value the community at Drury and the meaningful relationships I have made with faculty, staff, and students - and I love all the trees on campus! Last year, I completed my internship at Lake-land Behavioral Health System, working as a behavioral health technician. I am also President of the Behavioral Sciences Club at Drury and enjoy volunteering for rEcess, a monthly “kids night out” for children with special needs in the Springfield area. After graduating in May 2020, I will be attending Southern Illinois University pursuing gradu-ate study in Clinical Psychology, with plans to become a pediatric neuropsychologist.

Gap Year Updates

Inga NordgrenMy gap year(s) adventure started during my senior year when I was rejected from all but one of the master’s programs I applied to. When I graduated in May of 2018 in Psychology with a minor in Behav-ioral Neuroscience, I had no idea what the next stage of my life would look like. I ended up volunteering in Bali, Indonesia for three months and then moved back to Springfield, MO to work for Burrell Behavioral Health. The two years after graduation have allowed me the space to (a) have some much needed fun, and (b) actually figure out my direction in life. During my time off, I discovered the field of Human Development and Family Stud-ies and was encouraged by some fabulous professors to apply to both MA/MS and PhD programs. I am immensely grate-ful for the lessons learned during my gap years because now I’m off to be a first year doctoral student at Purdue University!

Steven SchupbachI didn’t get into graduate school. I assumed that after getting my neuroscience degree, I would immediately go into grad school and then get exactly the job I wanted, but I was wrong. I remember the moment when I thought, “I’ve never just gone and done something, maybe this is my chance.” So I applied to an English-teaching program in Germany. And what do you know, I got accepted. After the course ended, the program’s director invited me to stay at his place in Budapest so I could explore Hungary – that was, no question, the most liberating moment of my life. On the flight back home, my seat was right next to the brother of the director of neuroscience at Vanderbilt University. Didn’t that work out nicely? And yes, I’m on my path to graduate school. But I also want to be a well-rounded person. Do I have advice? Of course. College is important, but there’s more to personal growth than school.

Emily WiegersI graduated from Drury University in May of 2019 with a major in psychology and a minor in behavioral neuroscience. I embarked on a gap year with the intention of strengthening my application for PhD programs. I continued working at Synergy Recovery Center as a residential assistant, began facilitating a class titled Addiction and the Brain, and was also a teaching assis-tant for Dr. Herrington’s Biology of Clinical Disorders class. To bolster my research experience, I worked on projects with Dr. Paul Deal at Missouri State University. In addition, I was fortunate enough to travel abroad. The gap year helped me reach my goal, and I will start Saint Louis University’s Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program in August. I will work with Dr. Garner in her lab investigating the neuropsychology of children. I look forward to beginning my graduate education, and know that Drury was instrumental in getting me this far.

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Department Develops Three Timely Programs for CCPS

Endnote fromthe Chair

Trauma does not discriminate. It is a response to a deeply dis-turbing event that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, and diminishes the ability to feel a full range of emotions. What enables people to adapt well to difficult life experiences? Resil-ience is key. With an eye toward helping individuals, teams, and organi-zations perform at their best, achieve goals, and overcome obstacles that can impede performance, the department will offer three new psychology-focused programs through Drury’s College of Continuing Professional Studies (CCPS) in Fall 2020. CCPS’s academic programs are designed to meet the needs of adult students with busy lifestyles. Most courses are available in the evening or on-line, and CCPS has been ranked as a “Best Value” by a variety of organizations. The B.S. in Psychology: Resil-ience and Performance Optimi-zation and the certificate pro-gram in Trauma and Resilience are designed for people who want to deepen their under-standing of the ways in which traumatic events are experienced

and the range of posttrau-matic reactions. The programs explore factors that help people cope with stress, enhance their resiliency, and perform at their highest levels, and these factors can be applied to performance in the military, law enforcement, business, mental health fields, or any other domain with a perfor-mance component. Acknowledging that behav-iors, like gambling, gaming, shopping, exercise, and eating may be as addicting as substanc-es like alcohol and other drugs, another new option will be a certificate program in Substance Use and Behavioral Addictions. It is designed for individuals who want to deepen their un-derstanding of various addic-tions, the effects of addiction on biological, psychological, and socioemotional function-ing, how to assess and counsel people who struggle with addic-tion, and professional codes of ethics. If you are interested in learning more about our new programs, please contact Sarah Thornton, Director of Aca-demic and Student Affairs for CCPS at sthornton@drury.edu – 417.873.7502.

This issue of our newsletter gave you a glimpse into the lives of our students who are approaching a very important milestone. Although we could not come together on cam-pus to publicly celebrate the successes of our graduating seniors, I have no doubt you enjoyed reading about their experiences. Our students are pretty remarkable, right? I would like to take this op-portunity to give a shout out to our other graduating seniors who were not able to participate in the newsletter. Their names are listed below my note. I would also like to invite you to attend our rescheduled commencement ceremonies on Drury’s main campus in August 2020. The ceremony for evening, online, and graduate students will be held on Friday, August 14. The ceremony for

day school undergraduate stu-dents will be held on Saturday, August 15. This will be an excellent opportunity for all of us to reconnect and cel-ebrate together! As a reminder, if you are interested in examining self-care and interpersonal skills that can promote psychological health and help you reach your full potential, I encourage you to check out our new programs in CCPS. They are unlike any other programs we offer, and we are so excited about them! As always, if you have ques-tions about our residential and/or CCPS programs or would like to know more about our students’ post-graduate successes, just send me an email or give me a call. I would love to hear from you!

Vickie Luttrell, ‘86

•Farrah Chambers, Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience•Clifford Gray, Psychology•Courtney Kinion, Criminology•Evan Larson, Psychology and Sociology•Destiny Morton, Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience•Elon Smith-Miller, Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience

Other Graduating Seniors