Psych Scoop, 8/8/23

August 8, 2023

The Psych Scoop is sent to all Psychology Undergraduate students and alumni every Tuesday throughout the academic school year. 

Share your news with psyadvis@umn.edu!

Psychology Advising Announcements

Current majors are expected to know the announcements in the advising announcement section.
Feedback for the department? Check out our suggestion box.

1. Important Class Cancellation Update: PSY 3666 & PSY 4207/5207

Students who were enrolled in PSY 3666: Human Sexuality, or PSY 4207/5207: Personality & Social Behavior for the Fall 2023 term had the courses removed from their Fall 2023 schedule. The Department of Psychology has made the decision to cancel due to a combination of factors. Students who are enrolled in these courses have been notified and are encouraged to set up a meeting with Psychology Advising staff to discuss course planning regarding the recent change. We understand that this cancellation impacts students very differently. Our Psychology Advising staff is available to answer any questions or concerns you may have about this cancellation on your Major/degree progress. If you have any concerns, please reach out to us at psyadvis@umn.edu as soon as possible so that we may assist you in finding an alternative option for Fall 2023.

2. Psychology Engagement Award - Fall Application Now Open!

Are you volunteering in your community this Fall? Or, participating in an unpaid internship here or abroad this semester? The Department of Psychology's Donor Awards for Psychology Undergraduate Engagement are available to support you! The purpose of these awards is to encourage and support psychology majors who engage in unpaid learning experiences beyond the University campus and classroom environments (i.e. unpaid internships, volunteer experiences, study abroad containing a psych-related internship, etc.). Up to three awards of $500 will be offered for Fall 2023. The application deadline is Wednesday, September 20th (12:00 pm CST). For details about the awards and application materials, visit our webpage. If you have any questions feel free to email psyadvis@umn.edu.

3. 2023-2024 Psychology Undergraduate TA Positions

Each fall and spring, the Department of Psychology selects from a pool of highly qualified undergraduate applicants for paid undergraduate teaching assistant (TA) and section leader (SL) appointments. Serving as a TA or SL is a fantastic professional development opportunity to add to a resume, and it can also provide you with an integrated department experience to highlight on an application to graduate school. Our teaching assistants and section leaders work on average 5-10 hours per week per appointment and will be paid $16.50/hr in the 2023-2024 academic year. More information on eligibility, the application process, and typical duties can be found on the 2023-2024 Undergraduate TA Application Form. If you have questions, please contact Christina Wiencke at choldvog@umn.edu (Associate Director of Curriculum & Instruction) or Heidi Wolff at hwolff@umn.edu (Curriculum and Graduate Services Specialist).

4. Share Your Research Experience!

Psych Advising would like your help! If you have participated in research for credit or as a volunteer at the U, please consider sharing your experience with this short Google Form. In our new office space, we are putting together informational bulletin boards which provide resources and advice to students who stop by. One of these boards includes information on getting involved in research as an undergraduate student! Our office strives to provide all the information we have about what research is and how to get involved, but we are missing the essential student perspective. With your help, we can better serve students who may be in a similar boat as when you first started looking into how to become involved. We will likely be featuring 2-4 students on a monthly basis, and we will of course notify you if your experience is being shared. If you have any questions, please reach out to psyadvis@umn.edu.

5. Student Tech Support Services - Lecture Recording Support

The Department of Psychology is hiring for lecture recording support. The primary responsibility of this position is to prepare the classroom technology for the lecture presenter and adjust the camera during the lecture recording. The position will be supervised by the Course Instructor. The Department Academic Technologist may also provide additional supervision and guidance. You must be a University of Minnesota student. Must be available Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm at Willey Hall (West Bank TC campus) during Fall and Spring semesters. Preferred qualifications include experience using and troubleshooting classroom presentation and video recording technologies, positive attitude, attention to detail, and willingness to problem-solve. Starting pay is $16.50/hr. To learn more about the position and how to apply, visit the U of M job website and enter Job ID: 356336. If you have any questions, please direct them to Silke Moeller at smoeller@umn.edu.

Events

6. Free Meals on Thursdays

Thursday, August 10, 2023, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST (or when meals are gone)
Cost: Meals are free
Location: Coffman Memorial Union

Free, to-go, chef-prepared meals are available to any University of Minnesota student. The partnership between Minnesota Central Kitchen (Second Harvest Heartland), the Campus Club, and Swipe Out Hunger. Located at Coffman Memorial Union, outside Nutritious U Food Pantry (Room 103A). This event will continue through the summer. For more food insecurity resources, click here.

Courses of Interest

7. PSY 3896: Internship in Psychology - 1-4 Credits - Fall 2023

Make an internship experience count toward your PSY Major! PSY 3896 class credits (1-4 variable credits) are based partly on the number of hours you work at your internship during the Fall 2023 semester. Online course assignments are a complement to your learning at your internship site. Students apply to and secure a position on their own, but guidance is available. Example sites include ACR Homes, People Serving People, Sexual Violence Center, Tubman, and the Walk-In Counseling Center. Look for more opportunities in the Psych Scoop and even more on Handshake. Read more about what students have to say about PSY 3896!

Steps to Register for PSY 3896:

1.) Student secures an internship with a site

2.) Submit a "Request an Experience" form on Handshake and receive approval.

3.) Permission number to register for the course will then be emailed to you.

PSY 3896 is completely online

Instructor: Michael Houlahan

Note: This course counts as elective credit for the Psychology majors only.

8. FSOS 2107: Preparation for Family and Community Engagement - 3 Credits - Fall 2023

This 3-credit course, led by instructor Sara Axtell, meets M/W, 10:15-11:30, in 310 McNeal Hall. Get ready to work for positive community change! You will learn how to work with families and communities in ways that build on existing strengths and assets. Learn from local community organizations about their work, and about how family professionals can partner with communities in positive ways. In our class discussions, we examine what gets in the way of these community partnerships, and how we can be a part of transforming the unequal power dynamics that can derail them. Through workshops and interactive activities, you’ll build concrete skills like facilitating a community conversation, mapping community assets, and making community spaces more accessible. And you'll get an introduction to some core skills for working in non-profits like some of the basics of grant writing and program evaluation. If you have any questions about this course please contact Sara Axtell at axtel002@umn.edu.

Note: This course does not count for credit for the Psychology majors or minors.

Volunteer/Engagement Opportunities

9. Are you Interested in Volunteering at a Community Organization?

Volunteering offers many of the same potential benefits as other experiential activities, like interning, for example, or participating in research projects. Volunteering is yet another way you can continue developing the Core Career Competencies that signify career readiness. It also gives you a chance to explore various organizations, career paths, and work settings in a fairly low-key way. One way you can find Volunteer opportunities is through the Center for Community-Engaged Learning (CCEL). At the University’s Center for Community-Engaged Learning, staff members will ask you about your interests and then connect you with one or more of the 300 nonprofit community partners they work with. Additionally, you can often find volunteer positions posted on Handshake. Visit the CLA Undergraduate Studies website to view further instructions on how to navigate Handshake.

Learning Abroad

10. NSE Info Sessions

Thursday, August 10, 2023, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CST
Location: Virtual

If you want to learn more about NSE, join us for a virtual NSE Info Session. We will review the basics of NSE (tuition, financial aid, course options, housing, and research tips) and answer your questions. Learn more about NSE and get advice on where to go for your NSE adventure. If none of these dates work for you, please email nseadv@umn.edu to schedule a one-on-one info session via Zoom.

Graduate School

Find Diversity Weekend programs - includes Fall, Spring, and Summer programs. Updated frequently.

11. Announcing the 2023 Diversity in Psychology Virtual Program

The University of Minnesota’s Diversity in Psychology Program is excited to announce that we are accepting applications for the Fall 2023 virtual diversity program event (Friday, October 13, 2023). The program is designed for individuals who are historically underrepresented in psychology graduate programs and who are interested in earning their Ph.D. from the Department of Psychology, Institute of Child Development, or the Department of Educational Psychology, at the University of Minnesota. As a participant in the program, you will learn, through formal and informal experiences, how to construct a successful graduate school application. You’ll also have the opportunity to get a sense of the graduate school experience in our departments. If you are interested in applying for the Diversity in Psychology Program (or know someone who might be), please visit our website.

Research

12. *Credit or Volunteer* Research Assistant Opportunity - STRIPE Lab

Are you interested in health equity? Would you like to learn about and contribute to research on health promotion and prevention among underserved populations? Dr. Melissa Ertl is an incoming assistant professor in the counseling psychology area who is recruiting undergraduate research assistants for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year to contribute to research centered on investigating and addressing health disparities and health risk behaviors. Dr. Ertl specifically focuses on women’s health and how experiences of oppression and discrimination influence health among marginalized groups, including Latinx immigrants and young adults, people with substance use disorders, LGBQ individuals, college students, and individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. Research assistants will register for PSY 5993: Directed Research and contribute to ongoing projects by engaging in readings, literature reviews, participant recruitment and data collection, data coding, data analysis, and weekly lab meetings. If you are interested, please fill out the application form. The deadline to apply for a Fall semester position is August 15th, but applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Please email Melissa at mertl@umn.edu if you have any questions about applying.

13. *Credit or Volunteer* Counseling Psychology Undergraduate Research Assistant Opportunity

Dr. Alex Ajayi, an incoming assistant professor in the counseling psychology area, is currently seeking undergraduate research assistants for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year. Research assistants are expected to register for PSY 5993: Directed Research. Dr. Ajayi's research interests include mental health and well-being, social identity development as it relates to race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, prejudice and discrimination, and designing integrative psychological interventions. An ideal candidate for this position is curious, engaged, and eager to learn. Undergraduate research assistants will have the opportunity to participate in various tasks, including literature reviews, data coding, and analysis, participant recruitment and data collection, data entry and management, and weekly lab meetings. If you are interested, please complete this application before Friday, August 11th. The applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Dr. Ajayi at ajayi006@umn.edu.

14. *Credit or Volunteer* Gunnar Lab Undergraduate Research Assistant

The Gunnar Lab at the Institute of Child Development is looking for two student research assistants to start as soon as possible. Our research focus is on stress and the effects of early life experiences in children, teens, and young adults. We have a research project seeking RAs to assist with running online research protocols as an experimenter or judge, recruitment, scheduling, meta-analysis coding, literature reviews, and other tasks as needed. Must have availability between 2 pm-8 pm on weekdays & weekends and commit to 6-9 hours weekly. Due to the nature of the research protocol, we are seeking a RA who identifies as male to fill one of the positions. Students can earn 2-3 credits for CPSY 4994. Preference will be given to those who can commit to two or more semesters. To learn more about these positions, please send your CV/resume and a short introduction to Bao Moua at moua0066@umn.edu to be considered.

15. *Volunteer or Credit* I/O Psychology Undergraduate Research Assistant Opportunity [VIRTUAL]

We are looking for several motivated and responsible students to assist with a current research project on corporate social responsibility in Professor Deniz Ones’ Corporate Social Responsibility Research Lab, headed by Phoebe Hessen. Research assistants can participate in the lab either on a volunteer basis or for credit in PSY 5993 in Fall 2023. The research project is focused on understanding the content of organizations’ social responsibility reporting. RA’s will work closely with a Ph. D. student to carry out tasks including conducting literature reviews and background research, collecting critical incidents of socially responsible behavior from organizations’ sustainability reporting, reading and making judgments about these incidents (i.e., coding), and data analysis. The program will begin with intensive onboarding the week of August 28th - September 1st (~20 hours, 5 synchronous and 15 asynchronous). Weekly meetings will be held throughout the semester to discuss progress and assist with any difficulties (held virtually through Zoom for the entirety of the semester). Prospective applicants should fill out a brief application. Please contact Phoebe Hessen at hesse179@umn.edu with any questions or for more information. The deadline to apply for a Fall semester position is August 14th, but applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.

16. *Volunteer or Credit* Research Assistant Opportunities with the CARPE DIEM Study

The Culture and Family Life Lab at the Institute of Child Development is collaborating with two other labs the Early Language and Experience Lab, and the Child Behavior and Perception Lab to launch an exciting new research study called the CARPE DIEM Study. This study is actively seeking several new research assistants (RAs) who will meet with families on weekday afternoons/evenings and weekends during the Fall and/or Spring semesters. RAs will have the opportunity to register for CPSY 4994 credit. RAs will primarily assist with conducting pre-test and post-test assessments of families in ICD testing rooms. These assessments involve explaining consent forms, facilitating a mother-child storybook reading task, assisting children in completing a set of tasks/games and guiding mothers to an online questionnaire. To apply, please complete the online RA application on Professor Ferguson’s Culture and Family Life Lab website. In the application, select CARPE DIEM as the project of interest. We are interviewing applicants now so we encourage you to submit your application now for priority consideration! If you have questions please contact, Salma Ibrahim at ibrah247@umn.edu.

17. *Volunteer or Credit* Research Opportunity with Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research

The Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research (CCDOR) has an opening for one to three research assistants for a funded suicide prevention study that will lay a foundation for understanding the effective treatments and supports needed for Veterans who experience suicide loss, including women and Native and Indigenous Veterans. Using explanatory sequential mixed methods, this study will identify the mental health outcomes associated with knowing someone who has died by suicide and risk and protective factors. This opportunity requires 5-10 hours per week for at least 6 months. The research intern(s)/volunteer will join an interdisciplinary team, participate in lab meetings and work under Dr. Robert Orazem, the lab manager and a clinical psychologist. Responsibilities involve preparing survey mailings, phone contact with potential participants, scanning completed surveys, literature reviews, and participating in a journal club. Other responsibilities will be determined based on interest and experience. Students interested in receiving credit for this opportunity will register for PSY 4993: Directed Research. To be considered for this intern/volunteer opportunity, please submit resume/CV and cover letter to Robert Orazem, PhD, at robert.orazem2@va.gov. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Scholarships & Awards

18. Undergraduate Scholarship Search

The undergraduate scholarship search provides an individualized list of scholarships that you are eligible to apply for based on your student profile. Receiving a scholarship may affect the amount of other financial aid you are eligible to receive, and some scholarships are not included in the undergraduate scholarship search. Find additional scholarship resources on the One Stop Student Services website.

Jobs/Internship Opportunities

IMPORTANT: Organizations listed below are not necessarily affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Psychology or Psychology Undergraduate Advising. Please exercise the same discretion you would in viewing any other source.

19. Center for Community Engaged-Learning (CCEL) is currently hiring for 6 positions

The CCEL coordinates campus-wide resources for curricular and co-curricular community engagement and domestic off-campus study programs. We have a project-oriented and team-oriented approach to accomplishing our work. Our student staff Peer Advisors hold a critical role in the CCEL. They support student engagement through one-on-one advising, general office support, front desk management, tabling at fairs, creating content for the CCEL website, leading information sessions about specific CCEL programs, and preparing for / facilitating workshops. Students selected for this position will gain valuable program implementation experience, interpersonal communication skills, coordination experience, and contacts across an array of community organizations. The positions we are hiring for include CESP Assistant/Peer Advisor, CESP Events Facilitator/Peer Advisor, Community Outreach Coordinator/PA, Office Coordinator/PA, Communications Assistant/PA, and Racial Equity Coordinator/PA. All positions have a dual role and details about each position can be found here. The benefits of each position include 10-15 self-scheduled hours dependent on the position, $15 per hour pay, and a flexible and supportive team environment. The priority application deadline is September 8th but we will be hiring on a rolling basis. Feel free to email us at ccel@umn.edu with any additional questions on positions. We look forward to adding new members to our team!

20. Central Care Service Inc. - Mental Health Practitioner

Central Care Service Inc. (located at 3355 Hiawatha Ave. Minneapolis, MN) is hiring a Mental Health Practitioner! This is a great opportunity for those with majors/minors in Developmental Psychology or related fields to get first-hand experience working under a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. No previous experience or training is required, as you will be trained after hire. Mental Health Practitioners work one-on-one with children on the autism spectrum, using the ABA modality, to help clients reach their individual goals. Goals include skills such as social communication, motor skills, etc. Starting pay is $ 20-22/hour, and preference is given to those who can work about 40 hours per week. Hours of operation are from 9:00am-9 pm on weekdays, and 11 am-6 pm on weekends. Please reach out to info@centralcareservice.com with a copy of your resume if interested!

21. Trauma, Mental Health Needs, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Literature Review Coding and Data Extraction

My name is Ashleigh and I am a 3rd-year doctoral student in Special Education. My area of research is focused on trauma and mental health needs for children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). I am looking for three additional coders to join me in screening and data extraction for a literature review. This is a great opportunity for students to learn more about starting a literature review. This is a paid position and includes potential authorship. I will train all coders to have the skills needed for this position. I am needing all hands on deck for August to get a proposal submitted to a conference. After that, each week's time commitment will be more flexible since classes start. This project can last until the end of September, maybe October. If you want to join but are hesitant because of the August commitment, still email me. I am willing to work around schedules and other commitments. If you want research experience, and enjoy the work I am doing, this can potentially lead to joining more of my projects over the next few years. If you have any additional questions please contact Ashleigh Avina at avina017@umn.edu

22. ACR Homes - Direct Care Professional

ACR Homes is hiring psychology students to become Direct Care Professionals! Apply today for positions starting now or in the upcoming Fall Semester. You would work in a home setting alongside a co-worker to care for 4 people who have disabilities. You will get the chance to gain DIRECT PATIENT CARE HOURS by caring for the medical, emotional, and physical needs of the residents as well as enjoying fun activities with them on your shifts. ACR is flexible for students, min of 12-16hrs/week (shifts are 4, 6, or 8hrs) but of course, you could work more. Starting pay is $15-$21/hr depending on the shift you work, paid training, and we have locations near campus, and you don't need to have a car! On top of all of that, we even offer custom research-based internships that end with a letter of recommendation from our CEO who is a licensed psychologist. We are doing interviews 30 min Zoom interviews now to secure your spot when you are ready to start. Contact Kayla Wildes at wilde177@umn.edu if you are interested in applying!