Katie McCarthy of Villa Park recognized for psychology work

2009 Jul 24

Recent graduate Katie McCarthy received the Ralph Waldo Hansen Excellence in Psychology Award to commend her academic accomplishments and outstanding research in language and cognitive science. This scholarship, which is awarded by the psychology faculty, recognizes two exceptional psychology students each year who are enrolled in a psychology graduate program.

McCarthy will attend the UIC to pursue her PhD in cognitive psychology. She appreciates how the psychology department has prepared her for graduate school and the working world. "The faculty and staff of the psychology department are what make the department so great. They are down-to-earth, approachable and personally invested in the success of their students," she said.

Students bound for graduate school, like McCarthy, are the majority in the Augustana psychology department. Dr. Jayne Rose, professor and department chair, is proud of how Augustana prepares its students for demanding graduate programs. "We provide students with multiple opportunities to gain experience in clinical and research settings," said Dr. Rose. "This research gives students the opportunity to explore different areas and strengthen their graduate school application."

McCarthy graduated in May with a double major in psychology and theater arts. She is the daughter of Robert and Marie McCarthy from Villa Park, Illinois and attended Willowbrook High School. At Augustana, she sang in collegiate choir and was the co-artistic director of Augustana's theater group, Electric Theatre Unplugged. She also served as the secretary of Psi Chi National Honors Society in Psychology.

Dr. Ralph Waldo Hansen was a psychology professor at Augustana from 1961-1993. He organized and directed the Student Counseling Service at Augustana and was the psychology department chair from 1964-1976. Hansen passed away in 2004 and is remembered at Augustana for his love of teaching and counseling.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 60 majors and areas of study. Augustana employs 226 faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it always has done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.