In March, a group of faculty, staff, and students from �������� attended the in Montgomery, Alabama. The symposium brought together a variety of individuals committed to social justice, civil rights, and education.

Very rarely have I experienced an event that affirmed I am in alignment with my true purpose. When Dr. Stogner first mentioned the Fred Gray Symposium, I was eager to attend. I felt honored to be in a room filled with people who used their personal gifts to change the world. I was inspired by how normal, everyday individuals committed themselves to making a difference. This conference allowed me to see roadblocks where I would normally see stop signs.

For me, traveling to Montgomery felt symbolic, as if I had been chosen by my ancestors to walk the same roads and acknowledge what I carry within me. I learned things about my history that I was never taught in public school. I felt new emotions. I thought about the people who came before me, and what it meant to sit in a room with Fred Gray, recognizing how his legacy informs the responsibility I now carry as a developing professional.

Ironically, the session that deeply stayed with me focused on justice and the responsibility I hold as a professional. During that session, I reflected on the many ways I intend to use my degree to create change. To my surprise, I was called to the front of the room to receive the Deborah Gray Champion for Justice medal. This moment solidified that I am on the right path and aligned with my destiny. It was truly an honor to be entrusted with such a meaningful duty to my community.

Another speaker expressed concern that conversations about race are being pushed out of classrooms and history books. Not surprisingly, this shift is occurring with the authority of national leadership, not because race has stopped mattering. Rather, telling a more accurate story about our nation can make people uncomfortable. When lived experiences challenge the preferred narrative, the response is often to remove the topic rather than explore solutions or spread awareness.

Although I learned a great deal at the symposium, one statistic in particular stayed with me. In Alabama alone, there are over 900,000 registered Black voters, yet more than half are labeled inactive or infrequent. This raises many questions: How many Black voters in Michigan are considered inactive or infrequent compared to other voters? Is there an issue with how the importance of voting is communicated? Is there a disconnect in access or ability to vote? Or is there another underlying reason that has not yet been identified? It made me wonder whether the system was designed this way? If so, why, and is there anything I can do to change it? I left with the understanding that the deeper work lies in addressing the barriers that limit full participation for some communities. This topic is urgent and current, particularly as the proposed SAVE Act introduces additional challenges that many are unaware of.

��

Kierra Poydras is a graduate of ��������’s MA program and current student in the PsyD Program.����

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The Psi Chi chapter at �������� is pleased to announce the chapter award winners for this year!��The purpose of the Psi Chi Professional Development Award is to promote Psi Chi members’ academic and professional excellence in psychology.����This year, Psi Chi awarded ten grants:

Marwa Attia (PsyD 2)

Funding toward lodging costs for The Society for Personality and Social Psychology 2026 Annual Convention in Chicago, Illinois where she co-presented the poster, Development and Validation of a Unidimensional Measure of Authoritarian Aggression.

Kalani Banks (MA ’24, PsyD 2)

Funding toward transportation costs for the 2026 Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois where she co-presented the presentations, Ethical Considerations in Couple’s Therapy��and Cell Phones and Marriage: Connection or Disruption?,��and the poster, Authoritarian Aggression and Support for Immigrant Surveillance and Deportation.

Lauren Dushane (MA ’21, PsyD 3)

Funding toward registration costs for the 2026 American Psychological Association Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. where she will co-present the poster,��ACT-Based Movement Therapy for Depression in Men with Parkinson’s Disease.��

Jifune Hermiz (MA ’24, PsyD 2)

Funding toward registration costs for the Fourth World Congress on Existential Psychology in Denver, Colorado where she will present Between Two Worlds: Authenticity, Community, and the Mystery of Being a Middle Eastern American Therapist.��

Devon Kardel (PsyD 4)

Funding toward registration and transportation costs for the 2026 Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois where she co-presented Liberatory Movement: Dance as a Pathway to Transformative Healing.��

Tasnia Khan (MA with ABA concentration)

Funding toward study materials for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst Certification Exam.

Renelle Staebler Lamey (MA ’24, PsyD 2)

Funding toward registration costs for the University of Michigan Online Sexual Health Certificate Program.��

Reba Meagher (MA ’23, PsyD 3)

Funding toward lodging costs for the 2026 Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois where she co-presented Affirming Practice with LGBTQIA+ Clients Amid Political Polarization.

Desirae Peel (MA)

Funding toward registration costs for the 2026 Spring Meeting of Division 24 Society for Theoretical & Philosophical Psychology in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she will co-present Movement as Ritual, Resistance, and Becoming.

Samantha Wiechert��(MA)

Funding toward registration costs for the EMDR Skills for Trauma Treatment continuing education course.

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The 2026 Community Impact Award for Equity & Inclusion was presented to PsyD student Dennis Brown (MA with ABA ’23), who stood out in his commitment, advocacy, contributions, and impact related to equity and inclusion.

Dennis has demonstrated a clear and sustained commitment to advancing equity and inclusion through his clinical work, research, leadership, and community engagement. His efforts consistently center marginalized and underrepresented populations, particularly Black communities and youth in underserved areas. For example, during his internship with the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, he provided psychological services to youth ages 5-17 in an underserved Detroit community, utilizing trauma-informed and community-centered approaches. His outreach work at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Counseling Center further reflects this commitment. There he engaged in campus programming and built relationships with diverse student organizations to increase awareness and access to mental health services.

Dennis’ research agenda is also deeply rooted in equity. His dissertation examines intergenerational trauma and Black identity during emerging adulthood, amplifying the lived experiences of a population often underrepresented in psychological research. Additionally, his conference presentations and publications address culturally adapted therapies, internalized oppression, and racial trauma, demonstrating his ongoing efforts to bridge research and practice in ways that are culturally responsive and socially impactful. Dennis’ work reflects a long-standing and evolving commitment to equity and inclusion rather than short-term involvement.

When asked about receiving the award, Dennis said, “Here I am, days later, still in shock to receive this award for equity and inclusion. I’ll continue holding safe spaces and advocating for equitable change in our community, because it starts with one person to create change for many. Thank you.”

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�������� is committed to contributing annually to assist in student scholarships and aid. Scholarship and financial assistance funding is supported by gifts from alumni, family, and friends. Generally, funds are disbursed in the form of tuition credit.

This academic year we are pleased to announce the following recipients. Sampada Fotedar (PsyD 1) was awarded the Aombaye Ramsey Diversity Award. ��Beatrice Di Cintio (current MA) was awarded the Sidney Berkowitz Scholarship for Clinical Excellence. The honorees have written acceptance statements for their scholarship awards.

The Cereta Perry Scholarship is awarded to an incoming student at the start of the academic year. Click here to learn more about this year’s recipients Fatou Dieng (MA) and Sampada Fotedar (PsyD 1).

Aombaye Ramsey Diversity Award (ARDA)

The ARDA was created in 2004 to honor former faculty member Dr. Aombaye Ramsey’s lifelong commitment to social justice. This award supports a PsyD student who shares that same commitment to advocate on behalf of diversity issues. Priority will be given to applicants who belong to an ethnic, racial, or cultural group traditionally underrepresented in the field of psychology.

With intense honor and gratitude, I want to thank �������� for choosing me as a candidate for the Aombaye Ramsey Diversity Award. This award, created to honor Dr. Aombaye Ramsey’s lifelong commitment to social justice, holds immense significance for me. As an Indian psychology student, I witness everyday how psychology is viewed from a western lens, and at times, can lack cultural inclusivity. These observations motivate me to advocate for social justice and multicultural equity in psychology. It not only provides me with financial assistance, but also inspires me to continue my commitment to promoting diversity in mental health.�� I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the selection committee and my supporters for their belief in my potential. This award provides a vital opportunity to advance my studies and strengthen my commitment to advocating for underrepresented communities.

Sidney Berkowitz Scholarship for Clinical Excellence (SBSCE)

The SBSCE was established in Fall 2022 to honor Dr. Sidney Berkowitz, a beloved former faculty member who was an esteemed clinician and long-time supporter of ��������. This award is presented to a student who demonstrate excellence in clinical work and shows a commitment to clinical practice using humanistic value/principles.��

Receiving the Sidney Berkowitz Scholarship for Clinical Excellence is a profound honor, and one I hold with deep gratitude. I understand that Dr. Sidney Berkowitz was a true embodiment of humanistic psychology, and that his life’s work profoundly impacted countless lives. To be selected as the Master’s recipient of an award bearing his name feels not only like recognition, but like an affirmation of the path I know I am meant to walk.

For me, this was never a career change, it was a realization. A coming home to something I had always felt called toward. I came to the �������� drawn to a form of therapy grounded in relationality, and shaped by the most human of questions, those of meaning, grief, loss, and recovery. �������� has been my home for the past eleven months, and I take great pride in that. I am deeply grateful to its inspiring faculty, my supervisors, and my peers, whose compassion and wisdom have shaped me profoundly.

Most importantly, I am grateful to my clients, who have offered me some of the most transformative lessons I will carry throughout my career. At the heart of my work is a sincere belief that every person deserves to be truly seen and that when a client feels genuinely met with honesty and understanding, something healing naturally follows.

As I continue this journey, I am committed to honoring Dr. Berkowitz’s legacy through kindness, humility, and curiosity; both as a clinician and as a human being. This award deepens my commitment to that calling.

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Have you ever attended an event expecting to get one thing, only to leave with a conviction you didn’t know you had? This happened to me in March of 2026 when I attended the in Montgomery, Alabama. I had never heard of the symposium or Fred Gray, but when I saw an invitation to attend, I took advantage because I was interested in learning about what they had to offer to my studies at ��������. Little did I know I’d be taking a trip down through the history of the United States and how its policies affect us thus affecting our mental health.

Fred D. Gray is a lawyer who was at the center of some of the most important civil Rrghts cases in the country’s history, including but not limited to Gomillion v. Lightfoot and Williams v. Wallace. I enjoyed learning this information because it fed into my past life of criminal law and precedent that I dealt with quite a bit in undergrad. I will admit, as the symposium went on, and I saw that it was heavy on history, civil rights, and law, I began to question how this was relevant to me as a future clinician. As I listened to the presenters who were everywhere, from lawyers to activists, something stood out to me. I can help the cause by being the person that the activists and lawyers come to in order to work through the grief and sorrow of a seemingly never-ending fight. A fight that has continued through generations. A fight that requires us all to do our part to keep the wheels turning in the right direction. Once I had this epiphany, I started to consider what everyone was saying through my current lens of a future clinician versus my past lens as a criminal justice student.

People like myself, psychology students and future clinicians, can benefit from experiences such as attending the Fred D. Gray Symposium. Though not directly related to psychology, there is so much cultural competency that can be gained from being in those rooms, meeting with the people who are doing the work and are committing their lives to seeing it through. I was able to connect with other students in attendance and discuss research and how it will benefit the human race, even if it is focused on one particular group of people to begin with. I was able to receive support and encouragement to keep going in my educational endeavors. I was encouraged to give back to those who follow in the path behind me while still driving forward to achieve my goals.

I received a “Deborah Gray Champion for Justice” medallion for being a student who is pressing forward the fight for equality and being in support of the current, ever-present civil rights movement. In that moment I wasn’t really sure how I felt about it, but being a young, African American woman from the east side of Detroit, Michigan, I grew to understand what it meant, at least for me. It means that I am a part of the movement. The work that I do can and will have an impact, no matter how small I think it to be. The contributions that I plan to make to the field will come from a no-name student who has unlimited potential to become one of the greatest names mentioned in the evolution of the field of psychology. I am somebody. I matter. My voice is necessary in this fight to move us all forward. The shadow box that we received along with this medallion will rest on the wall where my diplomas hang because it is also a part of my journey. It serves as a reminder that my contributions are a part of the whole, and we all are responsible for our parts. �� ��

Jennifer T. Thomas-Sopekan is a current �������� student pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis. This is her second year on the 3-year part-time track. At the time of this blog post, she is in the process of applying for practicum sites for the 2026-2027 school year, after which she will graduate upon successful completion of the program. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Wayne State University and a master’s in Forensic Psychology with a Law Enforcement concentration from Argosy University. She came to �������� because it was a school that specialized in psychology with an emphasis on treating the whole of a person. She is a wife, mother of two, and seeks to make a deep, philosophical change in the field of psychology with�� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��research and a dedication to her clients.��

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1. Start with a clear research plan.
Before you begin the IRB application, it helps to have a well-developed research plan. The application asks you to summarize your research questions or hypotheses and clearly describe how you will collect your data. This may include interviews, surveys, questionnaires, or other assessments. Thinking through these details in advance will make completing the application much easier.

2. Gather all of your materials early.
One of the biggest time savers is preparing your materials before you submit the application. �������� requires that recruitment materials, informed consent forms, interview protocols, surveys, instruments (along with evidence of permissions to use them), and any screening tools be included as appendices with the application. Any materials participants will see must also include a statement indicating that the study has been approved by the �������� IRB, along with contact information for participant concerns. Having these documents ready from the start can prevent delays later in the process.

3. Be clear about who your participants are.
The IRB application asks you to describe how you will recruit participants and how many individuals you plan to include in your study. It is often helpful to request a participant range that accounts for incomplete or unusable data. You will also need to describe inclusion and exclusion criteria and explain any screening procedures you plan to use.

4. Think carefully about confidentiality and data security.
Protecting participant privacy is one of the central concerns of the IRB process. The application asks you to explain whether your data will be identifiable, coded, de-identified, or anonymous. You will also need to describe how data will be stored and protected. �������� requires that research data be securely stored for at least five years, so it is important to have a clear plan for how you will manage your data.

5. Address risks and safeguards.
Even studies that involve minimal risk still need to explain potential risks and how they will be minimized. The IRB application includes a section where you describe each research activity, who will conduct it, what participants will do, and what safeguards will be in place to protect participants. This section also includes procedures for responding if a participant becomes distressed or chooses to withdraw from the study.

6. Plan for consent and debriefing.
Participants must be clearly informed about the purpose of the study, what participation involves, and their right to withdraw at any time. Your application should describe how you will obtain consent and include the consent documents in your appendices. At the end of the study, participants should also be given an opportunity to ask questions and receive information about the study through a debriefing process.

7. Work closely with your faculty mentor.
At ��������, faculty oversight is required for research involving human participants, and faculty supervisors are responsible for ensuring that research procedures, data collection, and data storage meet ethical standards. Working closely with your faculty mentor can help you refine your application and address any questions before submission.

Ready to Submit? What to Expect Next…

Include “IRB Application” in the subject line of your email. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email indicating that your documents have been received. Please allow up to two weeks for feedback or approval. If revisions are required, please send the updated materials directly to the individual who sent the confirmation email.

Final thoughts
The IRB process may feel complicated at first, but it becomes much more manageable once you understand what the application is asking for. Taking time to prepare your materials, think through your procedures, and plan for participant protections will make the process smoother. Over time, navigating IRB becomes just another part of developing your research skills.

Nosa Obaseki is a PsyD 3 student currently serving as ��������’s Research Graduate Assistant.

The post Navigating the IRB Process at ��������: 7 Tips for Getting Started appeared first on The �������� (��������).

Recent Publications:

Dr. Courtney Cabell (Core Faculty, MA ’21, PsyD ’25): Brown, V. F., Cabell, C. D., & Belton, G. S. (2026). Women and humanistic psychology. In L. Hoffman, L. X. Vallejos, D. Hocoy, P. Tummala-Narra & E. M. DeRobertis (Eds.), APA handbook of humanistic and existential psychology: Clinical and social applications (Vol. 2) (pp. 261–280). American Psychological Association. []

Blake Kozlowksi (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Ashlyn Olson (PsyD 2), Alizay Naqvi (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Alexis Amos (PsyD 2), Dr. Andrew Franks (Core Faculty):��Kozlowski, B. A., Olson, A. S., Naqvi, A. R., Amos, A. S., & Franks, A. S. (2026). Authoritarian aggression: A unique predictor of attitudes to sex- and gender-based crime. Sexes, 7(1), 12. []

Dr. Derrick Sebree, Jr. (MA Program Director, MA ’12, PsyD ’16): Sebree, D., Jr., & Belton, G. S. (2026). Ecopsychology and humanistic psychology: Critical praxis for justice orientations. In L. Hoffman, L. X. Vallejos, D. Hocoy, P. Tummala-Narra & E. M. DeRobertis (Eds.), APA handbook of humanistic and existential psychology: Clinical and social applications (Vol. 2) (pp. 571–585). American Psychological Association. []

Vincent Mangiapane (MA ’21, PsyD 4): Thielman, K., Caccitore, J., & Mangiapane, V. (2026). “I would feel misunderstood and diminished:” Perceived helpfulness of a grief diagnosis among grievers. Death Studies. Advance online publication. []

We celebrate the continued impact of this work and the ways it contributes to meaningful, socially responsive scholarship.

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This year’s Midwestern Psychological Association Conference is taking place from April 16-18, 2026 at the Palmer House in Chicago, IL. This marks the 98th meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association and will feature some of the highest-quality work in psychological sciences across the region. �������� will once again be well represented at this conference, so if you’ll be in attendance, make sure you stop by and check out their work. We are incredibly proud of all the research being done outside of the classroom by our students, faculty, and staff, often in collaboration with alumni.

Professional Development Sessions

Devon Kardel (PsyD 4) & Dr. Courtney Cabell (Core Faculty, MA ’21, PsyD ’25): Liberatory Movement: Dance as a Pathway to Transformative Healing

Renelle Lamey (MA ’24, PsyD 2) & Kalani Banks (MA ’24, PsyD 2): Ethical Considerations in Couple’s Therapy��

Reba Meagher (MA ’23, PsyD 3), Emily Ehrlich (PsyD 3), Jennifer Medrano Delacruz (MA ’23, PsyD 3), Lauren Dushane (MA ’21, PsyD 3), Caddisy Girard-Nocifora (PsyD 3): Affirming Practice with LGBTQIA+ Clients Amid Political Polarization��

Renelle Lamey (MA ’24, PsyD 2) & Kalani Banks (MA ’24, PsyD 2): Cell Phones and Marriage: Connection or Disruption?��

Dr. River Farrell (Core Faculty):��Guiding Growth: Integrating Trauma Informed and Developmental Supervision Practices

Ella Samhat (MA ’23, PsyD 2) & Aya Aldhalimi (MA with ABA ’24, PsyD 2): Cultural Competence and Psychological Assessment: A Training for Emerging Clinicians��

Dr. Courtney Cabell (Core Faculty, MA ’21, PsyD ’25) & Jennifer Medrano Delacruz (MA ’23, PsyD 3): Graduate Student Well-Being Across Cultural Contexts

Nicholas Semaan (MA ’21, PsyD 4), Dr. Dustin Shepler (Director of Clinical Training), Kevin Johnson (MA ’14, PsyD ’18),��Julia Aharonov: The Effect of Music on Intravenous Ketamine for PTSD Treatment

Dalia Boussi (MA ’25, PsyD 1):��Balancing Accessibility and Confidentiality: Ethical Considerations in Adolescent Teletherapy��

Poster Sessions

Dr. Dustin Shepler (Director of Clinical Training), Dr. Matthew Kadrich (PsyD Program Director, PsyD ’16), Dr. Doug Callan (Core Faculty), Mackenzie Mercer (PsyD 2), Tessa Passarelli (PsyD 1), Matt Greiner (PsyD 1), Jasmine Dhuga, Briana Foster (MA ’23):��ADHD in High IQ Men: Evidence of Masking on CPT-3

Dr. Doug Callan (Core Faculty), Dr. Dustin Shepler (Director of Clinical Training), Dr. Matthew Kardich (PsyD Program Director, PsyD ’16), Mackenzie Mercer (PsyD 2), Jasmine Dhuga, Tessa Passarelli (PsyD 1), Matt Greiner (PsyD 1), Briana Foster (MA ’23): “Unmasking” ADHD and CPT-3 performance in high IQ boys��

Jamal Ghazi (MA ’21, PsyD ’25) & Dr. Dustin Shepler (Director of Clinical Training): Acculturation Strategies and Psychological Functioning Among Arab American Muslims

Marwa Attia (PsyD 2), Alexis Amos (PsyD 2), Renelle Lamey (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Zeinab Karout (PsyD 2), Isam Maaz (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Blake Kozlowski (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Ashlyn Olson (PsyD 2), Alizay Naqvi (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Jifune Hermiz (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Aya Aldhalimi(MA with ABA ’24, PsyD 2), Kalani Banks (MA ’24, PsyD 2),Francesca Belisario (PsyD 2), Dorothy Brown, Rebecca Cenusa (MA ’24, PsyD 2), Mackenzie Mercer (PsyD 2), Ella Samhat (MA ’23, PsyD 2), MyEssia Taylor (PsyD 2), Dr. Andrew Franks (Core Faculty): Authoritarian Aggression and Support for Immigrant Surveillance and Deportation

Zeina Laham (MA ’25):��Navigating Identity and Mental Health: Culturally Sensitive Approaches for Arab Americans

Dalia Boussi (MA ’25, PsyD 1):��Culturally Responsive Mental Health Practice with Arab American Communities��

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Have you presented your research at another conference or had it published? Make sure you’ve filled out the��Research & Presentation Form to be included in our annual Research Report.

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How did you get involved��in doing research?

I first became heavily involved in research during my first semester in the doctoral program at ��������. I joined an already established team that was researching the term that we coined,��Cultural Responsibility, in mental health providers. Through that process, I found a love for conducting psychological research and began engulfing myself in any and every project that aligned with my interests.

What are your current research��interests? And how did you narrow your research��focus?

My research interests include culture, identity, and trauma, with a particular emphasis on culturally grounded, community-centered approaches, racial trauma, and movement-based interventions. I narrowed my focus through a continuous process of self-reflection and rediscovery. The “why” in everything that I do is bridging the gap between social justice and mental health. My work is deeply rooted in Humanistic, Black Feminist, Liberation, and Embodiment frameworks, with aims to foster the empowerment and liberation of individuals and communities experiencing marginalization and oppression.

What type of research do you do?

Currently, my four research teams are studying: 1) the efficacy and effectiveness of movement-based therapies, 2) the psychological pain of loss or lack in relationships, human respect, and social privilege, 3) the intergenerational transmission of vicarious racial trauma, and 4) disparities in Black maternal health.

Are you accepting students for your research��team? If so, what qualities do you look for in a research team member?

Although I am not currently accepting new team members, in the future, I may be looking to add students who are driven, reliable, and passionate about culturally- and trauma-informed care.

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