PSYCHOLOGY

Department Enjoys Banner Year

This was the year of psychology for UTC’s College of Arts and Sciences. With all of the recognition the Department of Psychology received in recent months, it is no surprise they were named the college’s Department of the Year this spring.

“These awards and recognitions affirm what I already knew—that the members of the UTC Department of Psychology are outstanding,” Brian O’Leary, department head, says. “Our faculty are excellent teachers and accomplished researchers committed to student learning and development. Our academic advisor provides our majors the support they need to make steady progress toward graduation, and our administrative professionals ensure that the department runs smoothly—no easy task. It is a privilege for me to work with all of them and share in their individual and collective accomplishments.”

Highlights from psychology’s outstanding year include the master’s in IndustrialOrganizational Psychology program, recognized as one of the best by the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Collaborative faculty research received upwards of $3.65 million in funding. The department’s honor society, Psi Chi, won University Club of the Year.

A number of psychology faculty also were recognized—Ralph Hood received a University of Tennessee Alumni Association Distinguished Service Professorship, Jill Shelton was honored with the Dean’s Award as Promising Researcher, and Libby Byers was honored with both the College of Arts and Sciences and UTC’s Outstanding Lecturer Award.