06/01/2026
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Kelli Stiles | Psychology Department
Dr. Kelli Stiles' journey into psychology began during her first career as a psychiatric nurse. "While earning my RN degree, I found the field of psychology fascinating and the rotation that just 'clicked' for me."
That passion grew into a career focused on helping others through a whole mind, body, and spirit approach while working with individuals ranging in age from 3 to over 100 years old. After moving to the area with her family, Dr. Stiles enrolled at Culver-Stockton to pursue another degree.
"I knew Culver-Stockton would be my home. The psychology program was solid, and I really felt C-SC aligned with my values of helping others."
Although she originally planned to return to the private sector after graduate school, an opportunity to become an adjunct professor at Culver-Stockton changed her mind. "Once here as an instructor, I found I really liked connecting with the students and helping them find their own path."
Dr. Stiles teaches courses including Lifespan Development, Abnormal Psychology, History of Psychology, and special topics such as Psychology of Cults, Missing and Exploited Children, and the Psychology of Tattoos. Her message to students is: "Never stop learning, never stop critically thinking, and never stop asking why."
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Stiles enjoys reading, spending time with family, and hanging out with her two cats, River Kwai and Natasha Romanov. A fun fact that she likes to share is that she didn't discover her love for science fiction writing until adulthood.
Dr. Stiles believes that faculty help shape campus culture by encouraging students to think critically, question beliefs, and know they are always part of the Wildcat family.