The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
May 2014
In This Issue ILDH Grant Professors of the Year Alumni Profile Military Center Grants Generation Study Abroad Early Connect New Programs ABAI Reunion Did You Know? NRCI Conference Chicago Commencement Mental Health Month Graduate Research Forum
Student Scholarships Available! The Industrial Organizational & Organizational Behavior (IOOB) Conference, July 18-19, Los Angeles Campus
Message from the National President This time of year is always filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment for upcoming graduates at The Chicago School! Our first commencement of the year, and 30th for our Chicago Campus, will take place on July 11. More than 600 graduates and over 1,200 family, friends and others will be in attendance. Our Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles Campuses will each celebrate their graduates on October 10 and November 7, respectively. This year is especially significant because we are simultaneously celebrating The Chicago Schoolâ€&#x;s 35th anniversary. We have much to be proud of as an institution; our upcoming graduates join over 5,100 alumni working across the nation - and globally – as true agents of impact and change. I personally salute our new graduates and our alumni! In this Community Matters, I draw your attention to the story of a highly successful alumna, Jessie Cooperkline, a 2011 graduate of the Chicago Campus. After receiving her Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis, Jessie became the founder of Instructional ABA Consultants. A leader at work! I know you will enjoy her story and that of other alumni who are regularly featured in the news media (listed on our sidebar). Finally, I remind all readers that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. To join the efforts of so many across the nation to raise awareness and reduce stigma, The Chicago School held events of considerable significance across all campuses. My most recent Huffington Post blog addresses the compelling issue of mental health service disparities; we have much work to do. The dedicated focus of our faculty, alumni and students on quality and equal service for those most in need makes a profound impact. Of this, we should be
Register Now Upcoming Events Tanya Brown "Finding Peace Among The Chaos" Saturday, May 31 NRCI Mental Health Community Conference Sunday, June 1 DC Front Runners Pride 5K Walk/Run Friday, June 6 Psychotropic Medications in Youth Thursday, July 10 Chicago Campus Commencement Friday, July 11
most proud. Warm regards, Michele Nealon-Woods, Psy.D.
Chicago Campus Forensic Center Receives Grant to Provide Outpatient Fitness Services The Illinois Department of Human Services has awarded a three-year $445,000 grant/contract to the Chicago Campus' Forensic Center. The funding allows the Forensic Center to hire staff, including a part-time psychiatrist, social worker, psychologist and two post docs to provide outpatient fitness to stand trial evaluations and outpatient fitness restoration treatment for low security pre-trial offenders. There will also be training opportunities for students in the forensic psychology program. The outpatient fitness to stand trial restoration treatment is a first for the state of Illinois.
TCSPP in The Media Dr. Jay Finkelman Agenda May 12 The Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute JUF News May 8 Dr. Michele NealonWoods Huffington Post May 7 Dr. Debra Warner OZY May 5 Dr. Laurie Benton The Times April 25 Teresa Masi Psych 1 on 1 April 23 Dr. Clive Kennedy Psych 1 on 1 April 21
TCSPP Faculty Honored for Exemplary Work We are pleased to announce the distinguished faculty winners across all TCSPP locations, who have been recognized for their academic excellence. The winners of the annual Distinguished Teaching Awards are:
Dr. Loren Hill (Public Service Teaching), Los Angeles Campus Dr. Priscilla Dass-Brailsford (Research and Scholarship), Washington, D.C. Campus Dr. Edil Torres-Rivera (International Research and Scholarship), Chicago Campus Dr. Nancy Zarse (Excellence in Teaching), Chicago Campus
The winners of the annual Adjunct Professor of the Year Awards are:
Erna Eubanks, Business Psychology (Online) Shannon Ormandy, Applied Behavior Analysis (Chicago Campus) Dr. David Songco, Counseling Psychology (Washington, D.C. Campus) Shay Sorrells, Marriage and Family Therapy, (Southern California Campus)
The Chicago School applauds and celebrates the hard work and creative energy that these professors bring to their teaching every day.
Dr. Tiffany Masson Good Evening America, Harambee Radio Network April 15 Dr. Patricia Arredondo Hispanic Executive April 17 Dr. Nancy Zarse CBS Chicago April 11 Dr. Eleazar Eusebio Radio Islam April 11 Dr. Daniel Velasco Fox 29 Florida April 8 Dr. Mudita Dave Pantagraph.Com April 7 Dr. Alicia Clark You Beauty April 3 TCSPP HBCU Lifestyle April 2 Dr. Melody Bacon Psych 1 on 1 March 27
TCSPP Students & Alumni in the Media Dr. Gina Ghodes Psych Central May 13 Various Students The Hechinger Report April 29
Meet Alumna Jessie Cooperkline A 2011 graduate of the Chicago Campus, Jessie Cooperkline is using her Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in a big way. Jessie is the founder, owner and executive director of Instructional ABA Consultants (IABA). IABA was established in June 2012 with one core belief: every individual with a disability has the right to effective treatment regardless of their funding source. At IABA, located in Naperville (IL), she has strived to create an innovative community that reinforces effective ABA services, as well as work-life balance. To that end, she has learned that quality services come from quality staff so she focuses on enriching the lives of both the staff that support IABA and the children and adults IABA supports. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Jessie has a wide range of expertise including behavior reduction, functional communication training, skill acquisition programming, teaching vocalverbal behavior to non-verbal individuals, toilet training and organizational behavior management. She has worked across ability levels serving individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities and chronic mental illness. “My education at TCSPP provided a solid foundation in the principles of clinical psychology in the classroom and through real-world experience that set the stage for me to be able to provide quality behavior analytic services to individuals with disabilities,” says Jessie. “I take great pride in my profession and the ability to apply my knowledge and skills to assist people through IABA.” More Alumni News: This year, The Chicago School celebrates 35 years of educating the next generation of psychology professionals. Help us recognize this milestone by sharing your success story with us! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and let us know how TCSPP helped you achieve your educational and professional goals. Plus, stay up-to-date on the latest news within the institution. Nominations for the 2014 Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award are taking place. Read how you can participate.
Dr. Niama T. Malachi News Pittsburgh Courier Newsroom April 21 Kavita Deo Psych 1 on 1 April 21
National Center for Research and Practice, Military and Veteran Psychology Receives Grants
Jenna Hedglen Good Evening America, Harambee Radio Network Deonte' Williams Gazette.Net April 17 Summer Reinke Dayton Daily News April 2
The Chicago School's National Center for Research and Practice, Military and Veteran Psychology recently received two $1,000 grants:
The Complex and/or International Scholarship Grant will help fund a research team from TCSPP and CommonHealth ACTION to identify key characteristics of innovative mental health services and programs that have yielded successful outcomes, particularly for vulnerable veterans. TCSPP's Faculty Development and Promotion Committee (FDPC) Grant supports the development of a comprehensive survey to categorize cognitive distortions leading to an improved critical-thinking therapy.
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Other projects in the works include the development of an equine therapy program and the creation of counseling and crisis response teams. More on these in future newsletters.
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Generation Study Abroad Partnership Promotes International Education The Chicago School has joined the Institute of International Education (IIE)„s Generation Study Abroad initiative to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. The program engages educators at all levels to drive meaningful, innovative action to increase the number of U.S. students who have the opportunity to gain international experience through academic study abroad programs, as well as internships, service learning and non-credit educational experiences. TCSPP has committed to specific, measurable actions that will help reach this ambitious goal. The result will be thousands more American students graduating with the international experience necessary for success in a globalized world. Learn more about The Chicago School's Study Abroad Program.
'Early Connect' Transitions New Students With a vision to engage new students, The Chicago School has launched the Early Connect Program, designed to help new students transition comfortably into TCSPP. The program connects incoming students through streamlined communication and a unified message, so that they become a member of the TCSPP community before they begin class. Currently, the program supports students through a webinar series that provides information related to a host of different topics, answers to any questions they may have, and guidance to support them along the way. For more information, please contact Daniel
Esquivel, Student Success Specialist.
New Academic Programs Launch at TCSPP The Chicago School is launching new and exciting programs. These new additions enhance its strong academic roster of programs that train future psychology practitioners and attract those already in the field who are interested in building on their expertise: At the Los Angeles Campus and Online
Master of Public Health
Online
Bachelor's Completion in Psychology M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis M.A. International Psychology M.A. Organizational Leadership Ph.D. Business Psychology
To learn more about these and other TCSPP programs, visit the Admissions page.
Chicago Campus Celebrates 10th Anniversary of ABA Programs In celebration of 10 years of ABA programs at the Chicago Campus, TCSPP ABA students, alumni and faculty from across the U.S. will reunite this month during the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Annual Convention in May 23-27 in Chicago. ABAI develops, enhances and supports the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice. This year marks the fifth TCSPP reunion during the ABAI Convention. The reunion is in partnership with the B.F. Skinner Foundation and the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, both nonprofit organizations.
Did You Know? Career Services Dedicated to helping members of TCSPP's learning community prepare for, access and succeed in the professional world as practitioners and leaders, Career Services provides both students and alumni with resources and tools necessary to enter into and thrive in their chosen areas of employment:
Career Hub features on-campus and off-campus job postings Most events and sessions are posted in the Career Services Video Archive Students and alumni can connect via the LINK Alumni Mentoring Group on LinkedIn
If you know of an employer hiring, please forward job listings to Career Services.
Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute Annual Community Conference to Focus on Suicide The Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute (NRCI) for Mental Health Education's 13th Annual Community Conference takes place on Sunday, June 1, in Evanston (IL). This year's theme, "Suicide: Responding and Creating Hope," features top experts in the field, a suicide survivor and 18 break-out discussion groups for attendees. Dr. Michael Horowitz, president of TCS Education System, will serve as conference moderator.
Chicago Campus Commencement July 11 Hundreds of doctoral and master's candidates will take part in the Chicago Campus' 30th Commencement on Friday, July 11, at the Arie Crown Theater, McCormick Place. This year‟s ceremony will feature two speakers, Gloria Jean Watkins, Ph.D., and Melba J.T. Vasquez. Better known by her pen name, Bell Hooks, Dr. Watkins is a distinguished professor, social activist and award winning author whose writing has focused on the interconnectivity of race, capitalism and gender. Dr. Vasquez, is an esteemed psychologist with various honors, awards and extensive published works. She served as the American Psychological Association (APA) president in 2011, the first Latina president in the organization's history. Save the Dates: The Washington, D. C. Campus commencement is on Friday, October 10, while the Southern California commencement will be held on Friday, November 7.
TCSPP Recognizes National Mental Health Awareness Month with Community Programs In May, The Chicago School recognized National Mental
Health Awareness Month across all campuses and the broader community with events highlighting an array of mental health issues and topics. Faculty and other mental health experts lent their expertise and experience to help audiences become more enlightened and informed about mental illness with presentations that included childhood trauma and delinquency, drug and substance abuse among Asian Americans, suicide and the African American community, domestic violence and workplace management.
Graduate Research Forum Expands to Washington, D.C. Campus The Washington, D.C. Campus will hold its first Graduate Research Forum (GRF) on June 17, joining other TCSPP campuses in the annual initiative. Presented by the offices of Career Services, Student Development and Academic Affairs, The GRF emphasizes the interconnection of research and practice. Students give poster-style presentations on various mental health topics that provide opportunities to share their ideas and receive feedback at different stages of development, from formulating a research question to finalizing a conference presentation. The other GRF events are: Los Angeles Campus (June 16); Irvine Branch Campus (June 17); Westwood Branch Campus (June 19); Chicago Campus (June 17) and Online (June 18).
Mission Statement Integrating theory, professional practice, and innovation, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology provides an excellent education for careers in psychology and related behavioral and health sciences. The school is committed to service and embraces the diverse communities of our society. Our logo symbolizes: Education • Innovation • Service • Community