Amara Chukwunenye | The Dunmorean

Amara Chukwunenye of Dunmore was among Marywood University faculty and students of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (Psy.D.) who recently presented, “Infusing Education on Bias and Diversity Considerations in Psychopathology Courses,” at the 2020 virtual meeting of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Also presenting at the APA annual meeting were Lindsay A. Phillips, Psy.D., ABPP, assistant professor in the Psychology and Counseling Center; and doctor of psychology students, Gabriel Rivera, New Cumberland, and Brienna-Rae Cruz, Jermyn.

The annual APA meeting provides countless opportunities for attendees to grow in their role as psychologists, leaders, and changemakers. Hundreds of experts from across the discipline come together to share the best information from the field and to bring professional development opportunities to licensed psychologists.

Three Marywood University clinical psychology doctoral students including, Amara Chukwunenye, Bertnie Jeanniton, and Tyshawn Thompson, were recently notified that they won the Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation’s (PPF) Student Multiculturalism Award. The awards were announced officially on Aug. 4, during the Pennsylvania Psychological Association’s Virtual Webinar.

pennsylvania_psychological_association_ppa_1587358264 The Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Psychological Association’s Committee on Multiculturalism, established a Student Multiculturalism Award in 2010. The award is given to psychology students attending school in Pennsylvania who have produced distinguished psychology-related work on issues surrounding multiculturalism, diversity, advocacy, and/or social justice.

The submissions must be a formal paper, or other product, such as a notable community service project, work history or other activity, that demonstrates considerable sophistication in advancing the field’s understanding of, or ability to positively impact, issues related to diverse populations.

Brooke Cannon, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of clinical training for the doctoral program in clinical psychology (Psy.D.), and Lindsay Phillips, Psy.D., ABPP, assistant professor in the Psy.D. program, nominated the three doctoral students for the PPF Student Multiculturalism Award based on the establishment of the University’s student-faculty organization, UPSIDE: Underrepresented Psychology Student Inclusion, Development, and Empowerment. The mission of UPSIDEis to promote greater recruitment and retention of graduate psychology students from underrepresented groups. Ms. Chukwunenye, Ms. Jeanniton, and Mr. Thompson were among several founding members of the UPSIDEorganization. Each of the three students attended every UPSIDEevent and meeting that has been hosted to date; made significant contributions to the organization; and they are all contributing to scholarship on multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion.

Dr. Phillips and Dr. Cannon said in a joint statement, “Through their leadership, Amara, marywood Bertnie, and Tyshawn have inspired other students in our program to become a part of UPSIDE. These three are excellent Psy.D. students and deserving of the PPF Student Multiculturalism Award.”

For additional information about Marywood University’s Psychology and Counseling Department, please visit marywood.edu/psychology-counseling, or call the Office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234. For more information about UPSIDE, please visit www.focusontheupside.org.

Information about the PPF Multiculturalism Award can be found at www.papsy.org.