As a department, we prioritize research, teaching, and service in our pursuit of advancing our understanding of human behavior, thoughts, and emotions. Our research efforts are geared towards discovering new knowledge and innovative ways to apply this knowledge to improve the lives of individuals and communities. In our teaching, we aim to provide students with a comprehensive and engaging education in psychology that prepares them for successful careers and meaningful contributions to society. Finally, we are committed to providing service to our community and to society as a whole by using our expertise to help individuals and organizations address psychological issues and improve mental health.
Being a Paterno Fellow in the College of the Liberal Arts has played a major role in shaping Rand Tayseer Alkhunaizi’s college experience, creating a sense of community and the type of academic challenge she was looking for when she first arrived at Penn State.
The international student from Saudi Arabia, a double-major in psychology and sociology, said she initially didn’t know much about the Paterno Fellows Program, but her freshman year adviser introduced her to the program’s rewarding environment. Through her involvement as a Paterno Fellow, she was later admitted to the Schreyer Honors College — one of the University’s few pathways for students not initially in Schreyer to demonstrate their potential and earn their way into the honors college.
Psychology Alumni, Elizabeth Stormshak ’92, Ph.D.‘95 and Timothy Kundro ‘16, have received Liberal Arts Alumni Honoree Awards from the Department of Psychology, presented at the 2026 Alumni Awards Ceremony.
Elizabeth Stormshak, recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award, earned her master of science and doctor of philosophy in psychology from Penn State in 1992 and 1995, respectively. A Philip H. Knight endowed chair and professor at the University of Oregon, Stormshak is a leading scholar in prevention science whose work focuses on family-centered approaches to reducing problem behavior, substance use, and mental health challenges in children and youth. She is the developer of the Family Check-Up Online, a telehealth program delivered via smartphone that strengthens parenting skills and family relationships while reducing risk behavior. Funded continuously since 1996 by agencies including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Department of Energy, her research has yielded more than 100 peer-reviewed articles. She founded Northwest Prevention Science, Inc., to support broad implementation of the Family Check-Up model in schools and community mental health settings. Stormshak has served as director of the Prevention Science Institute at Oregon and on the board of the Society for Prevention Research.
Timothy Kundro, recipient of the Outstanding Early Career Achievement Award, graduated summa cum laude from Penn State in 2016 with a bachelor of science in psychology before earning his doctorate in management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. An associate professor and Mary Farley Ames Lee Scholar at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, Kundro studies the complexities of morality and ethics in the workplace. His scholarship has appeared in leading journals including the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of Applied Psychology, and Psychological Science, and his research has been featured in outlets such as NPR, Time, and Scientific American. His findings have influenced state-level policy discussions, and he has served as an expert witness in cases involving workplace misconduct. Kundro has been named one of Poets & Quants’ Top 50 Undergraduate Professors and holds the Class of 1996 Advising Award from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Shaquana Simpson, a Chaiken Scholar and fourth-year student double-majoring in psychology and criminology, said she found the transition from high school to Penn State to be anything but easy. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the first-generation student chose Penn State in search of opportunities and an environment that encouraged growth. But when she arrived on campus, she said, she faced a host of challenges.
Milan Dukes, a fourth-year psychology major with minors in sports studies and media studies, has maximized her status as a first-generation college student at Penn State.
Dukes arrived at Penn State with an understanding of what it meant to be first-gen, but that understanding has evolved over the past four years through her personal experience. What began as a personal milestone is now a part of her identity.
Michelle Newman, professor of psychology and psychiatry, received the 2026 Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement for her research focused on the nature and treatment of anxiety disorders and depression.
Growing up in Qatar, within a close-knit and vibrant Indian community, Jui Baliga developed a deep appreciation for family culture, where traditions and shared values played an important role in shaping her. That contrast sparked her interest in working with children and families and shaped her curiosity about how relationships influence development.
Baliga’s interests eventually led her to Penn State, where the now fourth-year Schreyer Scholar will graduate this spring with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the College of the Liberal Arts and a minor in human development and family studies from the College of Health and Human Development.