USC Upstate Psychology Department

Home
United States
Spartanburg, SC
USC Upstate Psychology Department

The USC Upstate Psychology Department serves Psychology Majors, Minors, and students who generally think psychology is awesome! www.uscupstate.edu

The opinions expressed on these pages are strictly those of USC Upstate's Psychology Department and do not reflect the views of the University of South Carolina Upstate.

05/28/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Michaela Lopez, a May 2026 graduate, has spent her time at USC Upstate stepping outside of her comfort zone and discovering confidence in herself. One accomplishment she is most proud of is getting involved in research, which completely changed her perspective. She shares that it pushed her to think critically, ask better questions, and trust her ability. In fact, presenting at the Research Symposium, something she had been nervous about all semester, became one of the most rewarding experiences because she was able to share her work and connect with faculty and students. She says it is hard to choose just one favorite course, as Social Psychology w/ Dr. Hannay, Health Psychology w/ Dr. Bunde, Research Methods w/ Dr. Ruppel, and Senior Seminar w/ Dr. Gray all stood out. Overall, she appreciated the psychology professors, noting that they genuinely cared about students as people and created an environment where she felt supported, challenged, and encouraged to grow. She especially thanks Dr. Ruppel for helping her build confidence in her abilities and pushing her outside of her comfort zone. After graduation, she plans to pursue flight training with the goal of becoming a pilot; “Psychology is something I’ll always be passionate about, but I’ve always had a strong pull toward aviation. I want to give myself the opportunity to fully pursue it and see where it leads.” Her advice to classmates: “It’s okay to not have everything figured out. There were many moments where I felt uncertain about my path or questioned if I was doing enough, but it is a part of the process. Growth isn’t linear. There are ups and downs, and both are necessary. Trust that things will come together, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.” She also shares that “Not knowing what comes next doesn’t mean you’re lost. I used to feel that way more often than I’d like to admit, and I know how heavy that uncertainty can feel. But you grow, you adapt, and eventually, things start to make sense in ways you couldn’t have planned. Trust the process, even when it feels unclear.”

05/25/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Megan Boyd is one of our May 2026 graduates! She is most proud of minoring in Spanish interpretation/translation and gaining a basic but extensive introduction to the language. Although she was initially overwhelmed and unsure of herself, and even considered changing her minor, she now plans to continue building on her current knowledge and feels confident that she can become a fluent speaker. Her favorite psychology course was Psychological Disorders because it was “interesting, insightful & encouraged a lot of self reflection.” She also valued all of her Spanish courses, as well as African American Studies. Her favorite USC Upstate memories include midnight breakfast and sliding down the hill near the dorms during a snow day when classes were cancelled. Her advice to classmates is to explore the different disciplines within psychology, identify the areas that interest them most, and become familiar with Degree Works and the courses that align with those interests. She appreciated that the psychology program was thorough, moderately challenging, and included a lot of variety, and she also valued how communicative and helpful her professors were. She expresses particular appreciation to Dr. Ruppel, Dr. Christ, Dr. Hannay, Dr. Beer, Georgia McClintock, Scott Smith, and all of the Health & Counseling Services staff. At the moment she plans to seek a position within health administration, before eventually pursuing her master’s degree. She shares that her time at USC Upstate was “a great growing experience” and that she loved her time here.

05/17/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Takira Williams is a May 2026 graduate! During her time at USC Upstate, she is most proud of earning placement on the Dean’s List three times. One of her favorite memories was serving as a senator for SGA and traveling to Columbia to visit the state capital. As she reflects on her experience, her advice to classmates is to “go to class and build connections with your professors and peers, because you never know when those relationships may benefit you in the future.” She appreciated how caring and supportive the psychology professors were and how they took time to ensure students truly understood the material and could succeed. She expresses gratitude to God for guiding her throughout her journey, as well as to Prof. Jodie Martin for providing her with an internship where she was able to network, build meaningful relationships, and gain valuable experience. Her favorite psychology course was Developmental Psychology because it helped prepare her for a future career working with children. She also valued African American Studies, where she gained a deeper understanding of history, culture, and lived experiences. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school for Occupational Therapy with the goal of becoming a pediatric occupational therapist. As a first-generation college student, she shares that this accomplishment means everything to both her and her family, and she also thanks USC Upstate for giving her the opportunity to grow and succeed.

05/14/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Mikaela Way is one of our May 2026 graduates! After graduation, she plans to pursue master’s degrees in Women and Gender Studies and Experimental Psychology, with the eventual goal of earning a combined PhD in those fields. Her favorite psychology course was Psychology of Women, which helped her realize she could pursue her interests in women and gender studies alongside psychology. She also valued Feminist Disability Studies, which introduced her to Women and Gender Studies and led to opportunities including presentations at the WGS South conference, receiving the Outstanding Minor in WGS award, and attending consortiums over the last two summers. She is most proud of being awarded the Jerry D. Lehman Award for Outstanding Psychology Major. One of her favorite memories at USC Upstate was presenting her poster on her independent research study at the Research Symposium. She shares that it was “terrifying but so rewarding” to talk about what she had been working on all year. Her advice to classmates is: “Don’t be afraid to throw yourself into the deep end and try things outside your comfort zone. Presenting for the first time can feel nerve wracking, but it is always worth it. The moments that scare you a little are usually the ones that help you grow the most.” She shares that Upstate prepared her for graduate school by providing research mentorship and giving her hands-on experience in research and presenting independent projects. She expresses appreciation to Dr. Hannay [“Dr. Hannay has been incredibly supportive and believed in me in ways that changed how I see myself.”], who helped her discover this love for research and gave her the confidence to pursue a future as a professor.

05/11/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Exavion Valentine is another May 2026 graduate! After graduation, he plans to earn his master’s degree to practice therapy and eventually own a practice focused on outreach and making mental health services more accessible. During his time at Upstate, he is most proud of keeping his name on the Dean’s List and one of his favorite memories was planting a memorial tree with his classmates during freshman year. He appreciated that everyone he interacted with in the psychology program was “generally so kind and understanding,” as well as the efforts made to create a safe learning environment. He also expresses particular appreciation for Dr. Gray, Dr. Hannay, and Dr. Ruppel. His favorite psychology course was Sensation and Perception because it “answered all the questions I’ve had floating around in my head forever,” while also teaching him how those concepts apply to day-to-day life. His advice to classmates is to “make connections not only with people, but across class concepts—it makes everything a little easier.” He also shares this reminder with others: “Take care of yourself, even when it’s hard. You are always worth it.”

05/07/2026

Celebrating our students is one of the most joyous parts of our job. Whether it’s adding new members to the honors society Psi Chi, honoring Dean’s list achievement or academic honors and awards, or watching them earn the degrees they have worked so hard for, we are so grateful to get to take this journey with our students. I never manage to get them all in the photos, but congratulations to all of you!

04/30/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Brooklyn Lawter will be graduating this coming May! She is most proud not just of earning her degree, but of everything it took to get there. As a first-generation student balancing a full-time job and motherhood while staying on the Dean’s List, she takes pride in her persistence and determination. She also shares that completing her degree without taking on debt reflects the discipline and sacrifices she made for her future and her family. She advises classmates to find what motivates them, sharing that her daughter was her driving force during long nights of studying. She appreciated the unwavering support from her professors, noting that she always felt comfortable approaching them for help with both personal and academic challenges. In fact, her favorite memories include the meaningful conversations she had with her professors, which allowed her to connect with them on a deeper level. I/O psychology was her favorite psychology course and she expresses appreciation to Professor Travis, whose I/O Psychology course sparked her interest in pursuing a career in HR. She also valued her Career Management course, where she developed skills in networking, resume writing, professional communication, and building confidence with employers. After graduation, she will begin her career at Oshkosh Delivery in Spartanburg, where she has been interning since June as an HR Training Intern and will move into an HR Coordinator role. She also plans to pursue her SHRM certification and return for her master’s degree in the future.

04/26/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Arden Montjoy will be graduating in May 2026! She is most proud of participating in an internship at Roebuck Elementary in their Deaf/Hard of Hearing classroom and seeing that her signing is at a level where she can see her improvement. Her favorite memory is when she received a name sign, “a signed representation of your name used as an identifier when signing with members of the Deaf community,” which is a milestone and “an indicator of acceptance and welcome from the Deaf community.” She shares that this experience made her certain she wanted to continue learning sign language and growing connections with the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Her advice to classmates is, “don’t wait to go to office hours and speak to your professors… even if speaking to your professors feels like the scariest thing in the world, you can do it and you will thank yourself later.” She appreciated that the atmosphere within the psychology department is “one of curiosity rather than judgement,” where not understanding something is “simply an area of growth, not a weakness,” and she valued how personable the professors are. She also expresses particular appreciation to Dr. Lana Cromeenes in ASLG for “teaching me my ABCs and giving me the tools to connect with the Deaf community” and for encouraging her “to try and do it imperfectly rather than not try at all.” Her favorite psychology course was Independent Research with Dr. Hannay, where presenting a research topic, gathering data, and reporting findings gave her a better understanding of the research process and confidence to pursue new experiences. She also valued System Responses to Child Maltreatment, which helped her learn about multidisciplinary teams and realize she could work as an attorney within child advocacy. Overall, her experiences have taught her “Don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you from trying in the first place.” After graduation, she plans to begin a Master of Social Work at USC Columbia and hopes to pursue law school to complete both her M.S.W. and J.D.

04/22/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Mya Morris will be graduating in May! After graduation, she plans to bring healing and growth into the community, continue creating meaningful connections, and inspire others. Overall, she shares that she is grateful for the experiences and connections she made at USC Upstate and looks forward to carrying those lessons into the future. During her time at USC Upstate, she is most proud of creating and maintaining her on-campus running and walking club, First Mile Friends, while also maintaining her grades and working two campus jobs as a fitness instructor and Spanish tutor. Her favorite memory comes from seeing the faces of people she has trained and tutored when they begin to understand a concept, something she says truly makes her happy. She expresses appreciation to the gym staff, library staff, her advisors, and all of her professors, who made her feel she could come to them with questions or concerns, as well as her mom for her constant support and encouragement! She also appreciated the compassion and patience of the professors, along with their teaching styles and willingness to incorporate student feedback, which helped build her confidence with the material. Her favorite psychology course was Senior Seminar: Psych and the Brain (PSYC-U502) with Dr. Meek, where selecting and discussing articles helped improve her public speaking and introduced her to new interests. She also valued Botany and Society Lab, which connected her appreciation for nature with a deeper understanding of it. She advises her classmates: “Finding an area of psychology that truly interests you will be one of the most fulfilling choices you can make during your time here. The professors are here to help you, so never feel discouraged if you do not understand something the first time.”

04/18/2026

Graduating Senior Spotlight: Jada Owens will be graduating in May 2026! Having entered college with an undecided major, she is most proud of her personal growth and discovering her passion for psychology, which she feels challenged by and generally connected to. In fact, one thing she appreciated about the psychology program was that it encouraged personal growth, pushing her to think beyond surface-level understanding and consider behavior and experiences from multiple perspectives. She expresses appreciation to Dr. Keen, whose storytelling, calming presence, and support stood out throughout several of her courses. Her favored courses were Psychological Disorders (PSYC-U310), where she learned about symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and how conditions impact daily life, and she also valued Organizational Management, which helped her understand leadership and workplace dynamics. And, her favorite memories include times when she put herself out there to build connections with others. As someone who started off introverted, stepping outside of her comfort zone through classes, campus events, and everyday interactions helped her form meaningful relationships and experiences. Therefore, she recommends her peers try something similar: “Take advantage of opportunities, step out of your comfort zone, ask questions, and build connections.” After graduation, she plans to take time to gain experience working with children while exploring specific paths such as school counseling, and then pursue a master’s degree. She shares “My time at USC Upstate has truly changed me in ways I didn’t expect. There were moments that challenged me academically and emotionally. Those experiences helped me better understand myself, my thoughts, and feelings. This journey has made me more resilient and open to growth, and I know I will carry that with me moving forward.”

Address

800 University Way
Spartanburg, SC
29303

Telephone

+18645035706

Website

https://uscupstate.edu/academics/college-of-arts-humanities-and-social-science/psychology/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when USC Upstate Psychology Department posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to USC Upstate Psychology Department:

Shortcuts

Want your university to be the top-listed University in Spartanburg?