From left to right: Jacqueline Kajos, Brooke Magnus, Flossy Azu, Catherine Macaluso, Sarah Hopson,  Kamika Reynolds, Ana Schreck, Maureen Halton, Clara Kim, Whitney Green, Lauren Sigman.

Flossy Matekwor Azu ’09

Hello, I am Flossy Matekwor Azu and I am a senior from Ghana in West Africa. I am a psychology and education major in the teacher’s licensure program, to get certification in early childhood education. I am particularly interested in the ways in which children form mental concepts and how they think about social issues, including issues, of race, ethnicity and social class. I have been involved in some multicultural groups on campus which included one south Asian fusion dance team. I love to teach, I love children and I love to chat about pretty much anything. After graduation, I hope to land the most perfect job in the world, probably in teaching or in a very lovely NGO which pays tons of money. Then a year later, I will be pursuing my Masters in Public Policy. I love to talk, so please keep in touch and I will definitely have lots to say.

Courses Taken:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Theories of Personality
• Social Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Racism in Education
• Educational Psychology
• Children’s Cognitive Development

Whitney Green ‘09

Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska I came to Mount Holyoke College to escape the oppressive corn and receive free milk and cookies! (just kidding) I am a senior majoring in Psychology, and minoring in Romance Languages and Literatures. I am currently working on my senior thesis with Psychology Department Chair Patty Ramsey.  My thesis pertains to the multifaceted identity formation in transracial adoptees, how this identity spans numerous aspects of life, and how this identity changes with age. This will be my third year of being a Psi Chi member.  I spent my junior year abroad studying in Rome (and eating too much gelato and pasta!) In addition to academics, I row on the varsity crew team, sing with the Glee Club and work as a Harriet Newhall Fellow in admissions. After graduation, I hope to discover a hidden trust fund and go to graduate school.  Seriously though, I am taking a year off to hopefully do some research, work for Teach for America, and unwind. Please do not hesitate to contact me to ask questions regarding psychology, scheduling, major/minor requirements, or life in general. I’m more than happy to help, listen and lend support. You can contact me via email or drop by Reese 202 where I will be camping out writing my thesis (leave me notes under the door pretty please!)

Courses Taken:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Statistics
• Psychology of Women
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Adolescent Development
• Bon Appétit! Food, Appetite & Culture
• Theories of Personality
• Seminar in Social Psychology
• Psychology of Art (taken abroad in Rome, Italy)
• Ethnopsychology (taken abroad in Rome, Italy)
• Lab: Social & Personality Development
• Lab: Psych Assessment
• Seminar on Psychological Trauma
• Independent Study
• Seminar Thesis Research

Maureen Halton ’10

Hello! I am a junior Psychology major and either a Spanish or Education minor. I’m primarily interested in clinical psychology, though social psychology has sparked my interested, too, particularly in the realm of race and racial identity development. I also am considering pursuing a career (or at least further exploration into) organizational psychology. (I’m doing an internship in the Human Resources department of Baystate hospital this semester, so we’ll see how that goes!) After graduation, I’d ideally like to work in a high school guidance counselor position, though I’m also thinking about doing Teach for America. A little farther down the road, I’d like to get my PhD in clinical psychology. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions about the clinical field, social or organizational psychology, or anything else psych-related. If I can’t answer your question, I can at least point you in the right direction. I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Courses Taken:

• First Love: Attachment Theory and Research
• Developmental Psychology
• Bon Appétit! Food, Appetite, and Culture
• Social Psychology of Good and Evil
• Research Methods
• Abnormal Psychology: A Clinical Perspective
• Psychology of Racism
• First-Person Narrative of Madness

Sarah Hopson ’10

Hello! My name is Sarah Hopson, and I am a junior majoring in Psychology & Education and Mathematics. I am also pursuing an elementary teaching license for grades 1-6. I currently serve as the secretary of Psi Chi and am working on an independent study with Lenore Carlisle about the effective use of technology in education which will hopefully develop into my thesis. Last year I completed an independent study with Diana Leyva researching children’s theory of mind and emergent literacy. I have volunteered at Crocker Farm Elementary School in Amherst, worked at the Gorse Child Study Center, and am currently doing a pre-practicum at Wildwood Elementary School in Amherst. As is probably evident by now, my primary interest is in education and educational psychology, so if you have any questions about these things, the Psych/Ed major, or teacher licensure, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Courses Taken:

• Intro to Psychology: Biological Perspectives
• Statistics
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Sem: Explanations in the Cognitive Sciences (cross-listed as a philosophy course)
• 295 Independent Study (in both psychology and education)
• Economics of Education
• Ideas/Ideals in Public Education
• Foundations of Multicultural Education

Jacqueline Kajos ’10

My name is Jacqueline Kajos. I am a junior, class of 2010. I am from Westborough, MA. I love animals, vintage art, reading, and celebrity gossip. I am a psychology major, and hopefully a statistics minor. Over the past few summers, I have spent my time working with children at camps, and teaching swimming lessons. I love children and babies, and I’m considering working with kids as part of my future career. I love psychology, it’s my passion! Thus far, I’m most interested in abnormal and personality psychology. Currently, my goal is to continue my education after Mount Holyoke in a clinical program. I have also been a teaching assistant for Psychology Statistics 201 for the last two semesters, which has been a rewarding experience that I hope to continue.

Courses Taken:

• Introduction to Psychology: Biological Perspective
• Social Psychology: The Study of Good and Evil
• Statistics
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Theories of Personality Perspective
• Developmental Psychology
• Seminar: Narratives of Madness
• Independent Study with Professor Amber Douglas
• Teaching Assistant for Psych Statistics (SP ’08, F’08)

Clara Kim ’09

Hello, my name is Clara Kim, and I am presently a senior. I am a Psychology and Education major pursuing an early childhood licensure. I am originally from Canada, but spent the greater part of my academic career in New Jersey.  I am a proud spring admit! My interest in psychology really focuses on the interrelation of psychology and human development through the lens of education. I absolutely adore children and feel that there is so much to learn from them.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me through email! Have a great semester!

Courses Taken:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Independent Study
• Ideas/Ideals in Public Education
• Statistics
• Cross-Cultural Psych
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Observation & Assist/Inclusive Classroom
• Whiteness & Racism
• Educational Psychology
• Lab:  Social & Personality Development

Catherine Macaluso ’11

I'm Catherine Macaluso, I am a sophomore and I am very new to the psychology department.  I am from Northport, New York and I'm excited to be able to work as a department liaison.  Although I am a new major, I have participated in the open forum on the American Psychiatric Association's stance on torture last semester and had the opportunity to take a first year seminar in psychological controversies.  I am excited about being a department liaison so I can learn the ins and outs of the department and help those with questions and concerns.  Please feel free to email me!

Courses Taken:

• Psychological Controversies
• Psych Statistics
• Personality Theories

Brooke Magnus ’09

Hello! My name is Brooke Magnus, and I’m a senior psychology major and statistics minor. Currently, I’m working on my thesis with Kathy Binder, which is investigating how children use morphemes – the smallest units of meaning in words – in their writing, and if children use them differently depending on their grade level. I spent this past summer at Mount Holyoke collecting data, so if you want to know what it’s like to spend your summer here, let me know! For the past few semesters, I’ve been a TA for the statistics course in the psychology department, which I have loved. Within psychology I’m very interested in cognition, but I’m also very interested in the statistical aspects of psychology and am hoping to go to grad school to study this area. If you ever have questions about psychology, statistics, or anything else, I’d be happy to talk with you!

Courses Taken:

• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Cognitive Psychology
• Theories of Personality
• Developmental Psychology
• Lab in Epistemological Reasoning
• Seminar in Music Cognition (Amherst College)
• 295 Independent Study
• 395 Independent Study

Kamika Reynolds ’10

Hello, my name is Kamika Reynolds and I am from the island of Jamaica. Currently I a junior with a Psychology major and a Statistics minor.  This past summer I volunteered on a psychiatric ward at a mental health hospital. It was very interesting because I was able to sit in on ward rounds when they evaluated new patients.  If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me. I would love to hear from you.

Courses Taken:

• Introduction to Systems Thinking: Families, Groups and Organizations
• Psychology of Racism
• Educational Psychology
• Theories of Personality
• Abnormal Psychology

Ana Schreck ’09

Hey! I’m Ana Schreck and I’m from Idaho.  I’m a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology, and my other MHC endeavors include the Dressage Team (2008 National Champions!) and the Environmental Action Coalition.  I have taken classes in an array of different psychological fields but my experience is mostly with the development of children. I have worked for a family literacy program called EvenStart, been a teaching assistant at Gorse Child Study Center for two semesters, and taught English to elementary school children in Costa Rica.  I enjoyed all of my experiences, and greatly encourage anyone who is interested in the psychological development of children to take Patty Ramsey’s Psych 331 lab. I am currently taking Professor Romney’s Psychology of Racism and Kathy Binder’s Cognition Lab dealing with adult illiteracy, which correspond with my interests of social justice and helping others. Feel free to contact me and I’d be happy to share my experiences and learn about yours!

Courses Taken:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Psychology of Racism
• Seminar: Epistemology and Psychology
• Lab in Social and Personality Development
• Lab in Perception and Cognition

Lauren Sigman ’09

My name is Lauren Sigman and I am from Austin, Texas. I am a senior with a major in psychology and a minor in biology, and I am pre-med.  I am currently working on a thesis project with Karen Hollis investigating the role that a specific protein in the brain plays in learning, using zebrafish as a model organism. My first year I did two semesters of independent study with Karen on a Pavlovian conditioning project with antlions. My sophomore year I worked as a Research Assistant for Fran Deutsch, and my junior year I completed two more semesters of independent study with Karen in preparation for my thesis project.  The summer after my sophomore year, I interned in a marine biology laboratory in Woods Hole investigating the mechanisms of olfactory imprinting in zebrafish.  The summer after my junior year, I interned in a neurochemistry laboratory at the New England Primate Research Center and studied the role of trace amine receptors in the brain’s processing of methamphetamine in mice. Also during that summer I interned in a genetics lab in Milwaukee to begin a collaboration that will continue throughout this year for my thesis project. Eventually I hope to attend medical school with a specialty in neurology. I have had a lot of experience with independent study projects and with finding and applying to internships (I have done an internship every summer and J-Term). I have also had experience in combining a psychology major with the pre-med track.  I would be happy to meet with you anytime if you have any questions, just send me an email!

Courses Taken:

• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Animal Behavior
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• 295 Independent Study in Psychology
• 395 Independent Study in Neuroscience and Behavior