Research: The Building a Better Man Project Redefines American Masculinity

Through The Building a Better Man Project, Drs. Torres, Seymour and Smith hope to fashion a new definition of what it means to be male, keeping positive traits like bravery and allowing for the full range of emotions. In 2011, they launched an evidence-based pilot program at Children's Hospital that encourages small groups of boys and young men to think about masculinity. The groups focus on three themes: intrapersonal awareness, interpersonal skill development and service to others. Future plans include seeking more empirical validation, and they are currently in the grant-writing process.

Washington D.C. Campus' Ghislaine Toussaint Green, (center), a Ph.D. student who is in the International Psychology Program, was one of nine Graduate Research Forum (GRF) winners from across all locations and online. GRF is an opportunity for students to give poster-style presentations for each other and faculty, gaining experience and feedback at different stages of development. Green's winning presentation "Benefits of Early Childhood Education: Does Early Intervention and Parent Education Detect and Prevent Early Childhood Delays?" came during the Washington, D.C. Campus' first GRF.

Counseling Students Excel in National Counselor Examination

Chicago Campus M.A. Counseling Psychology students excelled in the National Counseling Examination (NCE) for Licensure with 81 out of 87 passing in April. Offered twice annually on-campus, the NCE is a national standardized examination developed by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to assess key areas of knowledge for prospective professional counselors. These key areas are informed by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Program (CACREP). Over the last three exams, TCSPP M.A. Counseling students continue to perform at a high level comparatively when national means are studied, indicating that they are mastering the prerequisite knowledge to perform well as a professional counselor.

More Career Services News

Career Week, in partnership with Applied Professional Practice teams across TCSPP, completed another successful annual Licensure Week, which included 15 events that brought together external presenters and panelists as well as faculty, staff and alumni to help students prepare for their related licensure (Clinical Psychology, BCBA, Counseling and more).  

New National Student Affairs Division Tailors to Students' Needs

The Chicago School's new Division of Student Affairs recently launched. The division delivers supportive professionals dedicated to creating and maintaining an inclusive campus environment that allows students to take full advantage of the TCSPP's academic and co-curricular benefits. With access across all campuses, the division consists of five departments: Career Services, Educational Support Programs, Office of the Registrar, Student Development and Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs. Each department specializes in areas tailored to the differing needs of new and current students, with services ranging from military and veteran affairs, to international services and assistance in completing school forms.

Chicago Campus Helps Build Playground

(L-R): TCSPP's Hannah Holtgeerts, Community Engaged Volunteer Coordinator, and Dr. Belinda McFeeters, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs.

TCSPP students, faculty and staff joined forces with The Community Builders (TCB), KaBOOM! and Radio Flyer on June 26 to build a playground with the families of St. Stephens Terrace, a project-based Section 8 building located in Chicago's West Side. Because of their efforts, more than 200 families now have access to safe, innovative play.

TCSPP's Community Partnerships Department also partnered with TCB to create an after school program in the apartment complex. Providing homework help for children in grades K-6th, the program also gives students from TCSPP an opportunity to become involved with a community with whom they might not otherwise interact.

Doctoral Student Receives Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellowship 

Kesha Burch, M.A., a doctoral student in the Counseling Program at the Chicago Campus was recently awarded the prestigious Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellowship (DFI). The DFI, awarded by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, is given to talented ethnic minority graduate students who aspire and have the potential to join the ranks of academia. The award is meant to help offset the cost of graduate education.

Chicago Campus ABAI Department Celebrates 10th Anniversary

(L-R): Julie Vargas, daughter of B.F. Skinner, and center, Dr. Merbitz, Department  Chair of ABA, Chicago.  

The 40th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) turned out to be an especially celebratory occasion for The Chicago School of Professional Psychology's Behavior Analysis (ABA) Department. In addition to the department commemorating its 10th anniversary, members also celebrated the fifth anniversary of the annual reunion of TCSPP's ABA Department, the B.F. Skinner Foundation and the Cambridge Center, held at the convention. A tradition started in 2009 by Dr. Chuck Merbitz, the reunion is an opportunity for participants to meet and network with a diverse group of behavior analysts, which includes everyone from students to faculty to well-known researchers in the field. 

A reflection of the Washington metropolitan area's top spot in an annual ranking of health and community fitness, Ryan Tobiasz, Psy.D., lead faculty in the Forensic Psychology Department, at the D.C. Campus organized a TCSPP faculty, staff and students running team who train together in preparation for local running events. The group's first event was the D.C. Front Runners Pride 5K Run/Walk in June, an official event of Capital Pride 2014. Dr. Tobiasz (second from left) says that the TCSPP team plans to participate in more running events with mental health awareness themes.