Nineteen members of EPC were commended at the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony on April 27, 2016.

To see photos from the event, please go to the “CEHHS Faculty & Staff Recognition Ceremony 4.27.16” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Awards

College Senate Departmental Staff Award
Recognizes a departmental-level non-exempt staff person who has provided exceptional contributions to his/her department (going above & beyond job expectations to accomodate students and faculty, contributing to a positive and supportive work culture and environment.

Synthia Clark
Administrative Specialist I

“I am so lucky to work in a department with such caring, supportive, and appreciative individuals!”

The Helen B. Watson Faculty/Student Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation
Awarded to a student and the faculty member who directed the outstanding doctoral dissertation within the departments of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies; Educational Psychology and Counseling; Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies; or Theory and Practice in Teacher Education.

CEHHS Board of Advisors Faculty Support Award
Awarded to recognize current/past accomplishments or future projects of one outstanding faculty member for teaching/research/service efforts in any area within CEHHS.

R. Steve McCallum
Professor in School Psychology

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the CEHHS Board of Advisors for their recognition and support of my work. Over the years I have worked closely with board members and know firsthand of their many contributions to the college!”

Recognition

 Casey A. Barrio Minton
Associate Professor in Counselor Education

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Editor of Journal of Counselor Leadership & Advocacy
– Recognized under Authors/Editors of Books and Assessments for Evaluating Student Learning Outcomes in Counselor Education. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association
– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for Outstanding Research Award from Chi Sigma Iota International

Bonnie Bull
Administrative Support Assistant III

– Recognized under University of Tennessee Support Staff Service Awards for five years of service

Stephanie Cowherd
Associate Director of Corporate Connections for Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under Grants and Contracts Recipients for the Tennessee DHS/Division of Rehabilitation Services/UT CLEE from the Tennessee Department of Human Services, $788,443

Joel F. Diambra
Associate Department Head & Director of Graduate Studies

– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for Outstanding Counselor Educator of the Year from the Tennessee Association for Counselor Education and Supervision

Patrick L. Dunn
Program Co-Coordinator for Rehabilitation Counseling

– Recognized under Grants and Contracts Recipients for the Long-Term Training: Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf from the US Department of Education – Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Services, $148,492

Sandra Fugate
Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under 2014-15 Faculty & Staff Retirements (2000-2015)

Melinda Gibbons
Program Coordinator for Counselor Education/School Counseling

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Associate Editor of Professional School Counseling Journal
– Recognized under Grants and Contracts Recipients for the PIPES: Possibilities in Postsecondary Education and Science among Rural Appalachian Youth from the Office of Research Infrastructure Program, $209,136

Aaron Kohring
Director for Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under Grants and Contracts Recipients for the LINCS Regional Professional Development Centers Program from the US Department of Education, $284,750 and the Transition & Self Determination Support from the Tennessee Department of Education, $549,105

Robert Kronick
Professor for School Counseling & Cultural Studies of Educational Foundations

– Recognized under Chancellor’s Honors Awards for the Alumni Public Service Award
– Recognized under Grants and Contracts Recipients for the University-Assisted Community School from the Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, Inc., $100,000

R. Steve McCallum
Professor for School Psychology

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Co-Founder & Consulting Editor of Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment
– Recognized under Authors/Editors of Books and Assessments for Handbook of Reading Assessment: A One-Stop Resource for Prospective and Practicing Educators. Routledge: Taylor and Francis
– Recognized under Authors/Editors of Books and Assessments for Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test 2. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed Publishing Company
– Recognized under Chancellor’s Honors Awards for the Research & Creative Achievement Award

Merilee McCurdy
Program Coordinator for School Psychology

– Recognized under Presidents of National/International Professional Organizations for being Chair of Council for Directors of School Psychology Programs

Jennifer Ann Morrow
Program Coordinator for Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

– Recognized under Chancellor’s Honors Awards for the Excellence in Teaching Award

Roma Powis
Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under 2014-15 Faculty & Staff Retirements (2004-2015)

Stephanie Robinson
Institute for Assessment & Evaluation

– Recognized under 2014-15 Faculty & Staff Retirements (1994-2015)

Connie Settle
Institute for Assessment & Evaluation

– Recognized under 2014-15 Faculty & Staff Retirements (1993-2015)

Barbara Thayer-Bacon
Program Coordinator for Learning Environments & Educational Studies/Cultural Studies of Educational Foundations

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Editor-in-Chief of Studies in Philosophy and Education

Connie White
Associate Director of School & Family Programs for Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under Grants and Contracts Recipients for the Tennessee Teachers’ Professional Development Event Support from the Tennessee Department of Education, $2,214,746 and the Tennessee Teachers’ Professional Development Event Support from the Tennessee Department of Education, $877,092

School Psychology

Elizabeth is currently seeking her PhD in school psychology. Originally from Hendersonville, TN she received her BA in psychology, MS in educational psychology, and a graduate certificate in grief, loss, and trauma all at the University Tennessee. She joined the School Psychology program in 2011. We asked her to reflect on some of her past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Awards

• Richard W. Yoakley Fellowship – 2014 | Fellowship given by the Yoakley family to support a local school psychology student.
  

Accomplishments

Roles/Positions

• Editorial Assistant for the Journal of Evidence-Based Practices for Schools – 2013-2015
• GTA Academic Advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences – 2012-2015

Publications

• Bell, S. M., Taylor, E. P, McCallum, R. S., Coles, J. T., Hays, E. (2015). Comparing prospective twice-exceptional students to high-performing peers on high-stakes tests of achievement. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 1-24. doi:10.1177/0162353215592500
• Dissertation: “Academic Outcomes in Higher Education for Students Screened as Twice-Exceptional: Gifted with a Learning Disability in Math or Reading” Steve McCallum chair

Presentations

• Hays, E., Browarnik, B., McCallum, R.S., Bell, S. M. (2015). Higher education outcomes for students screened as twice-exceptional. Presented at the annual convention for the National Association of School Psychologists, Orlando, FL.
• Coles, J., Hays, E., McCallum, R. S. (2015). The relationship of educators’ perceptions and knowledge of cognitive testing. Presented at the annual convention for the National Association of School Psychologists, Orlando, FL.
• Hays, E., & Skinner, C. H. (2014). Randomized criteria and dependent group contingencies to reduce class-wide disruptions. Presented at the Mid-South Regional Conference on Psychology in the Schools, Chattanooga, TN.
• Browarnik, B., Durall, E., Hays, E., Coles, J. (2014). Comparing prospective twice-exceptional students to high-performing peers on high stakes tests. Presented at the annual conference for the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.
• Hays, E., Coles, J., McCallum, R.S., Walpitage, L. (2013). Pre-service teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of intelligence tests. Presented at the annual conference for the Tennessee Association of School Psychologists, Nashville, TN.
• Miller, K. C., Hays, E., Bell, S. M., McCallum, R.S. (2012). Predictive validation of CBM data slopes using varying time intervals. Presented at the annual conference for the National Association of School Psychologists, Seattle, WA.

Refer to Curriculum Vita for more details

Current Occupation

Intern
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, Cypress, Texas

I work with students in both general and special education. My primary roles are behavioral consultation, assessment, and pre-referral intervention for behavioral, social, and academic concerns. I also provide individual and group counseling to students. I also have opportunities to practice evidence-based interventions in the Family Counseling Clinic.

Personal Interests

In my spare time I love to build wooden furniture. I always like to have a project going on on the side, and over the past few years I’ve built enough furniture to completely furnish my apartment. My favorite thing that I have built is my secretary desk. I also enjoy taking my dog Lyla to the dog park and spending time with my family, friends, and boyfriend.

Future/Vocational Goals

After finishing my internship, I plan to become nationally certified as a school psychologist. While I am excited to start working in the schools, I like that this degree has also prepared to me to pursue licensure as a psychologist, which would give me the option of working in a clinic focused on assessment, behavioral intervention, and consultation.

What would you tell an incoming student who joins the program?

I would encourage new school psychology students to be proactive about seeking out supplemental experiences beyond the core practicum requirements. While I think it is important to avoid over-committing, I would encourage students to gain as much breadth as they can in their exposure to different populations, settings, and experiences. I also would encourage students to work as a team with the other students in their cohort; it’s a lot easier that way.

What sold you on this program?

One thing that really stood out to me about this program was the efficiency. When I met with the current students on my interview day, almost all of them were on track to finish their degrees within 5 years. Anxious to work as a practitioner, I loved that the program was set up to push me to work hard so I could get out into the field. I could see how student-focused the faculty were, and I felt like I could trust them to help me make the most out of my time in graduate school. Entering our fifth year, all four students in my cohort have defended our dissertations and feel prepared for our internships.

Four School Psychology PhD Candidates – Elizabeth Hays, Megan Schall, Ellie Trant, and Tiffany Watson – were matched with APA-accredited internships.

To become a licensed psychologist, all school psychology doctoral students must have completed an internship. Internships accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) are highly sought out, yet a large number of applicants go unmatched. In 2015, more than fifteen hundred applicants were not matched with an APA-accredited internship.

“It is always a program goal for our students to receive APA-accredited internship positions. However, not all internship applicants receive an internship, particularly an APA-accredited one. The program faculty are very excited for these students!”- School Psychology Program Coordinator, Merilee McCurdy

The application process was described as long, complex, and intimidating. To address this, the program offers an internship course to make things more manageable and help students through the process.

Elizabeth Hays will be going to the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Texas.

Hays explained how she was thrilled to be matched to an APA-accredited internship because she believes it will give her more flexibility with future career options. Her internship is in a school district, where she will work with students in general and special education. Her primary roles will be behavioral consultation, assessments, and pre-referral intervention for behavioral, social, and academic concerns. However, she will also be providing individual and group counseling to students and have opportunities to practice evidence-based interventions in the Family Counseling Clinic.

“I am very excited to try something new and learn as much as I can while I am at Cy-Fair ISD. I will have access to a diverse range of training experiences and supervisors through this internship, and I think this diversity in training will be invaluable.”

Megan Schall, Ellie Trant, and Tiffany Watson will be at the Tennessee Internship Consortium (TIC).  TIC is an overarching entity linking interns to many different agencies, such as school systems, assessment centers, and health systems.

Schall will be at Lenoir City Schools four days a week, and receiving supervision and training one day a week. She explained how she would be conducting the same types of work activities school psychologists in school systems typically do.

“I’m thrilled to be matched with an APA-accredited internship! It was a great relief to get the match email and see the results. And, even though it would be fun to live in a new city, I am also very excited to be staying in Tennessee. After four years living in Knoxville, it feels like home so I am glad to get to stay for another year.”

Trant will be working at Sweetwater City Schools, mainly doing assessments and consultation.

She explained how happy she was to be staying in Tennessee because she fell in love with this part of the country after moving here from Louisiana.  Also, the internship location allows her and her fiancé to live together once they get married in July.

“I have learned so much about school psychology during my time at UT, and I am looking forward to putting those skills into practice. I am also excited to learn more about the field of school psychology and expand my abilities. UT has given me a great foundation, which I know will be significantly enhanced during my internship year.”

Watson has a split internship. Part of the time she will be working with the Korn Learning, Assessment, and Social Skills (KLASS) Center on campus. There, she will see clients for interventions and evaluations for ADHD and learning disabilities. The other part of her internship will be with Cherokee Health Systems in a school system.

“I am so blessed and thankful to be matched to an APA site. It opens up more opportunities down the road for licensure. I grew up in East Tennessee and I’m so excited to stay and work in the area. I’m also excited to finally start applying things I’ve been learning for the past four years!”

Congratulations to the 2014-15 fellowship/scholarship recipients from the Educational Psychology and Counseling Department!

Andrea Arce-Trigatti  Learning Environments and Educational Studies
– Chancellor’s Fellowship
– Graduate Diversity Enhancement Fellowship

Laura Betz  School Counseling
– Charles Lowell Thompson Fellowship

Emily Brown  Counselor Education
– ESPN Fellowship

Elizabeth Hays  School Psychology
– Richard Yoakley Fellowship

Alexandra Ingram  Learning Environments and Educational Studies
– ESPN Fellowship

Hannah Kincaid  School Counseling
– Eugene and Mary Sue Akins Graduate Fellowship

Maya Mingo  School Psychology
– ESPN Fellowship

Alejandra Morales  School Counseling
– Helen Carter Murray Scholarship

Sarah Nadel  Evaluation, Statistics, and Measurement
– Chancellor’s Fellowship
– ESPN Fellowship

Jennifer Pointer  Counselor Education
– Stephen Lee Alderton Graduate Fellowship

Anne Skutnik  Learning Environments and Educational Studies
– Travis Hawk Fellowship

Kala Taylor  School Psychology
– Chancellor’s Fellowship
– Graduate School (Shipley-Swann Fund) Fellowship

Victoria VanMaaren  School Psychology
– Chancellor’s Fellowship
– Graduate School (Seaton Fund) Fellowship