JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

Persistence and a penchant for listening well led Sydney Batchelder to pursue psychology – all the way to a Ph.D.

by Tricia Vance

Sydney Batchelder was never one to give up on her dreams. Her mother wouldn’t hear of it.

“From a young age, I was interested in pursuing higher education,” said Batchelder, who in May 2021 became the first graduate of UNCW’s doctoral program in psychology. “The biggest turning point in my life was seeing my mom, a single mom raising three kids, putting all her effort into making sure that we could achieve any dream we had. Even though we were of low socioeconomic status and she worked long hours, she never told me that I wouldn’t be able to become a lawyer, doctor or whatever my goal at the time was. She believed that if I set my mind to it and if she worked hard enough, we could get there.” Batchelder, who grew up in rural eastern Connecticut, set her sights on the behavior analysis field of psychology after taking several undergraduate courses at Eastern Connecticut State University, where she also minored in anthropology. “I like to say that my decision to choose psychology was really serendipitous,” she said. “Not having a lot of information about psychology as a science in high school, I decided that since I’m a good listener, psychology was a good choice. “I had the stereotypical understanding of what psychologists do – that they listen to people’s problems and help make them feel better. I took an intro to psychology class and a social psychology class. Both really opened my eyes to the possibilities of research within psychology and how we can better understand human behavior and the brain through scientific inquiry.” Batchelder’s decision to attend UNCW for graduate studies was based on the quality of the behavior analysis program, she said, and the opportunity to work with experienced psychology researchers. She chose the field because she believes it is where she can make a difference.

“Behavior analysts focus on being able to make measurable changes in behavior,” Batchelder said. “I knew this was how I was going to make the most significant change. I was also interested in broader societal change – reducing poverty, health disparities, racism and other prejudices, climate change, etc.” Batchelder’s program mentor was associate professor Wendy Donlin Washington, whom she credited for connecting her with research and other opportunities. Batchelder also took advantage of opportunities to gain clinical experience. “Sydney is a tenacious, meticulous and gifted researcher,” said Donlin Washington. “She has furthered the scope of the research in our lab by extending our behavioral economic studies to address health disparities. She has been essential in mentoring master’s and undergraduate students in the lab. She’s going to have an incredibly successful research career, and I’m very proud to call her a colleague.” The Ph.D. in psychology program is one of four doctoral programs currently offered at UNCW. “The Ph.D. program began due to a state and national need for more doctoral-level psychologists, particularly those who can work as behavior analysts, licensed psychologists and in industry,” said Kate Nooner, professor of psychology and graduate coordinator.

The Ph.D. program offers three concentrations:

• Applied Behavior Analysis, Batchelder’s specialty, which prepares candidates for careers focused on helping clients make socially significant changes and improvements in their behaviors;

• General Clinical, which prepares candidates for licensure as doctoral-level psychologists working in health care or research settings, and; • Psychological Sciences, which prepares candidates for careers in research and industry.

While Batchelder is the doctoral program’s first graduate, others will soon follow in her footsteps. There are currently 35 students in the doctoral program, which admitted its first class in 2017. Five are on track to graduate in May 2022.

Post-graduation, Batchelder has begun a research position at the University of Vermont, where she will research new treatments for opioid use disorders in vulnerable populations. Following her time-limited position, she will search for assistant professorships to continue her research while teaching. She will always be grateful for the support she received at UNCW. “Students, faculty and staff all really try to help if you need it,” Batchelder said. “I think this university is one of the most accommodating I’ve seen, and that’s a result of the supportive atmosphere if you communicate your needs.”

Hear Sydney describe the pursuit of her Ph.D. in a video at uncw.edu/ features/videos/batchelders.html.