Biographies of RRRLab Researchers
Dr. Candice Feiring
A Senior Research Scholar and director of the Center for Youth Relationship Development at TCNJ. Her research focuses on the development of healthy relationships in youth with and without trauma histories. Dr. Feiring has published over 60 journal articles and book chapters on social processes important for understanding mental health including shame, attachment, self-blame attributions and social support. Dr. Feiring’s longitudinal research on sexual abuse, supported by National Institute of Mental Health, was honored with awards from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children and Child Maltreatment. She was Editor-in-Chief for the journal Child Maltreatment from 2009-2014 and served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Research on Adolescence.
CURRENT RESEARCHERS
Jessica Markus
Class of 2017
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab:I was initially interested in the lab because of the topic of reomantic relationships, especially relationships that occur at such a dynamic time of life. I wanted to examine what makes a relationship successful and how to navigate the conflict that comes along with any relationship. Another aspect of the lab that interested me was the interview component, which I felt would enhance skills required for clinical psychology.
Future Plans: As well as receiving my B.A. in Psychology, I also plan to minor in Women's and Gender studies. I plan on getting a master's degree in Clinical Psychology and hopefully one day owning my own private practice. I am especially interested in women's and children's issues and am planning to specialize in those areas.
Christine Dunne
Class of 2017
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab: The Romantic Relationships Research Lab sparked an interest in me because I have always wanted to know more about romantic relationships, especially in the college setting, as they can be very important to our lives and our futures. I also wanted to learn interviewing skills and experience more hands on research.
Future Plans: I plan to graduate from TCNJ with my B.A. in Psychology. Afterwards, I hope to attend graduate school and specialize in Counseling/Clinical Psychology. I plan to get my doctorate but may just get a masters instead. I also plan to travel all over the world and then one day live in California.
Kevin Moncayo
Class of 2017
Psychology and History Double Major
Why I Joined This Lab: I have always been interested in clinical/counseling psychology, so when it came time for me to decide on a lab to join this one jumped out at me as being in that direction. I also liked that I would be learning a lot of different, useful, and hands-on research experience in the form of: interviewing, transcribing, coding, and the like. It was also interesting to see this all oriented to romantic relationships, which are crucial to our lives and development.
Future Plans: After receiving my B.A. in Psychology I plan on going on to graduate school to get my doctorate in community clinical/counseling psychology. My dream is to one day not only do some of my own research, but to also help people through some form of counseling.
Elizabeth Stemetzki
Class of 2017
Psychology Major and Women & Gender Studies Minor
Why I Joined This Lab: I immediately became interested in this lab because I have always had an interest in counseling, and how young adults view relationships. I saw this lab as a good fit for me because it is very interactive, and I am interested in learning about how college students handle romantic relationships.
Future Plans: After graduation, I plan on getting my Masters in Social Work. From there, I hope to work with women who are in abusive relationships, and children who live in homes where domestic violence is present.
Victoria Germano
Class of 2018
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab: As a psychology major with a clinical and counseling specialization, I've always been intrested in relationships and the way people perceive interactions with others. This lab was a perfect opportunity to learn first hand about interpersonal relationships, as well as how to properly conduct an interview.
Future Plans: I plan on attending graduate school after TCNJ, in hopes of pursuing a doctoral degree in counseling.
Carlina Weidl
Class of 2018
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I have always been fascinated in the study of human relationships through personal and interpersonal connections over time. I have an interest in counseling and clinical psychology, and I knew that this lab would not only provide the knowledge and skills I need for future work in psychology, but also offer real hands-on experience.
Future Plans: I wish to continue my studies in psychology through earning a Masters in psychology, and begin training for becoming a counselor in higher education for colleges and universities.
Liana Shehata
Class of 2019
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab: I very much wanted to get involved in research as early in my college career as possible. This lab caught my eye because relationships are vital in our lives, for humans are social creatures. I believe that it is important to observe the positives and negatives, and be aware of the different aspects that make up a successful relationship of any sort. This lab also provides researchers with ample interviewing skills, which are essential in the field of psychology.
Future Plans: I intend to graduate from The College of New Jersey with a B.A. in Psychology along with a minor in Arabic. I plan to then pursue a Psy. D. in clinical psychology, I would like to take some time to volunteer with “Doctors without Borders” and afterwards settle down and work in either a hospital setting or have my own private practice.
Rachel Turan
Class of 2017
Psychology Major and Minor in Fine Arts
Why I Joined This Lab: My decision to joint the Romantic Relationship Research Lab was based in my interest in people’s understanding of their romantic relationships, specifically their perceptions of conflict and negative emotions involved in these relationships. I am interested in how humans interact, and romantic relationships in young adulthood involve particularly interesting human interaction. I was also intrigued by the interview aspect of the lab, which will allow me to become more comfortable working one on one with individuals.
Future Plans: I will graduate with a BA in Psychology and a Minor in Fine Arts. I hope to either pursue a graduate degree in clinical/counseling psychology or art therapy, as well as write fiction novels dealing with human interaction.
PAST RESEARCHERS
Sofia Mastroianni
Class of 2017
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab: In the Fall Semester of 2015, I participated in a PIPER study and was interviewed for the RRRLab. Since being interviewed, I realized how interested I was in taking part of this research. This lab will provide me with the future tools needed for interviewing and collaborating with others in a research field.
Future Plans: After receiving my Bachelor’s in Psychology from TCNJ, I plan to work for the FBI and receive my Master’s or PhD in Forensic Psychology.
Geimy Barreto
Class of 2016
Psychology Major and Religion Minor
Why I Joined This Lab: I have always had an interest in counseling psychology, in particular the topic of interpersonal relationships. I was also interested in gaining research experience as well as developing my coding and interviewing skills.
Future Plans: I plan on attending graduate school after graduation and pursuing a Master's Degree in Counseling.
Margaret Pappadimatos
Class of 2016
Psychology Major (Clinical & Counseling Specialization)
Why I Joined This Lab: Being a psychology major, I find interpersonal relationships between men and women to be very interesting. This lab will provide me with valuable research experience and the interview skills I could potentially need pursuing a career in the clinical/counseling field.
Future Plans: I am not exactly certain yet, but I definitely want to go to graduate school for something pertaining to the clinical/counseling field
Kelsey Wolff
Class of 2016
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab: I joined the RRR lab because I find the topic of romantic relationships to be fascinating. Relationships are arguably one of the most important aspects in a person's life, being a source of stress and obstances as well as support and rewards for those involved. The research conducted in this lab is both interesting and important to me. I additionally wanted to gain experience working in a psychological research lab. This lab is a great opportunity to learn valuable research and interview skills that I will be able to use in the future.
Future Plans: After competing my Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Psychology at TCNJ, I plan to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist; I hope someday to work as a practitioner in a clinical hospital setting.
Alex Brune
Class of 2016
Psychology Major (Counseling & Clinical Specialization)
Why I Joined This Lab: I joined this lab so that I could gain experience with conducting interviews.
Future Plans: I plan on going to graduate school in Applied Behavior Analysis and become certified as a BCBA. I would then like to work with autistic children at a place such as Eden or PCDI and help them gain skills using applied behavior analysis.
Fady Ibrahim
Class of 2015
Psychology Major
Why I Joined This Lab: I joined to improve my interviewing skills, and to get more hands on experience working in a lab.
Future Plans: I plan to get a doctorate and practice clinical psychology.
Alexis Eckert
Class of 2015
Psychology Major, English Minor
Why I joined: I have participated in this experiment before and found it very interesting. I thought it would be a great experience to participate behind the scenes. I also find romantic relationships to be fascinating in general.
Future Plans: I plan to go to graduate school and get either a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology.
Christine Petit
Class of 2015
Psychology Major, Criminology Minor
Why I Joined This Lab: I initially joined this lab as a sophmore because I wanted to learn interview skills and I thought it was fascinating to learn about interpersonal relationships. Throughout my five semesters of the lab, I have learned so much and expanded my interests in the field. As a result of my Senior Thesis in this lab I am more interested in emotion regulation and conflict resolutions strategies. My experiences in this lab have been amazing, and I have worked with so many great students and have benefited greatly from my academic relationship with Dr. Feiring, who has been an outstanding researcher and mentor.
Future Plans: I am currently applying to Master's of Social Work programs and hope to one day become a counselor in the juvenile justice system.
Derek Giannone
Class of 2015
Psychology Major and Philosophy Minor
Why I Joined This Lab: The dynamics of romantic relationships have always been an interest of mine. Relationships can be the most rewarding and also most difficult experiences one can have as a person. Because of this, I believe that researching the predictors of success and health in romantic relationships is extremely important work. Additionally, the skills taught and required in this lab are critical to thedevelopment as a researcher and practitioner in the field of Clinical Psychology.
Future Plans: After completion of my Bachelor of the Art's Degree in Psychology here at The College of New Jersey, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. I am extremely interested in mood and anxiety disorders and hope to participate in other's research and eventually conduct my own research in these areas.
Julianna Ardizzone
Class of 2015
Psychology Major and French/Women & Gender Studies Minor
Why I Joined This Lab:I joined the lab because I have always been interested in interpersonal relationships and individual's communciative styles. I think relationships are a major part of people's lives. I am interested in learning more about people's perceptions, behaviors, and motives in their romantic relationships, as well as more qualitative research skills.
Future Plans: I am interested in pursuing a career in marriage and family therapy. I hope to one day be a sought after clinician. I want to share my knowledge with others so that they can have better, healthier relationships.
Kelly Hennebry
Class of 2015
Psychology Major (Clinical & Counseling Specialization)
Why I Joined This Lab: I wanted to join the RRRlab because interpersonal relationships have always interested me. While many romantic relationships can be fulfilling and rewarding, some relationships can be a source of distress and unease. I hoped that getting involved in research on romantic relationships would allow me to understand some of the underlying factors that contribute to supportive relationships. I also joined because I believed learning interviewing skills would be helpful to my future plans in the field of psychology.
Future Plans: At the moment, I am looking into pursuing a Master's in Social Work to eventually get my LCSW. In the long run, I would love to work in a private practice setting or even own a practice.
Kristen Rayner
Class of 2015
Psychology Major & Pre-Med
Why I Joined This Lab: On a college campus, romantic relationships serve as the cornerstone of young adulthood, impacting both mental and physical states. Their prevalence begs the question, "What makes a healthy relationship?" This lab not only explores these research goals, but applies its findings to a larger purpose: understanding those at risk for developing relationship problems and implementing intervention strategies.
Future Plans: After graduation, I will be working at Fox Chase Cancer Center investigating melanoma in zebrafish. Eventually, I hope to attend graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Psychology.
Jamie Michel
Class of 2015
Psychology Major and Professional Writing Minor
Why I Joined This Lab: I thought this lab would be perfect for me. My family and friends agreed. I enjoy talking to people about their relationships. I am fascinated with the dynamics of romantic affairs. I like discovering what brings couples together and what tears them apart. I thought this study would be a great opportunity to learn new things and I believed that I have something unique to offer. Overall it was an easy decision. I get class credit and lab experience to add to my resume to study and research a subject that I absolutely love. That is a win, win, win, situation.
Future Plans: After TCNJ I plan to enroll in an MSW program in the Fall of 2015 and graduate as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a specialization in Child/Family Therapy. After working as a clinican for afew years I plan to pursue my doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I would like to get my certification in Marriage/Couples Therapy and Pastoral Counseling. Ultimately I want to open my own practice and be a well known therapist. I also plan to write books and articles based on my experience in the field.
Meagan Loo
Class of 2015
Psychology and Women and Gender Studies Double Major
Why I Joined This Lab: I have always been interested in clinical psychology, and as a Women in Learning and Leadership member, interpersonal relationship and power dynamics between male and females have always fascinated me.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology or going to law school and get involved in politics.
Mariah-Lynn Black
Class of 2015
Psychology Major and Spanish Minor
Why I Joined This Lab:I wanted to gain interview experience because I hope to work drectly with people in some capacity and being able to make them comfortable is always important. Of course, I also find the romantic entanglements of college students highly fascinating as well.
Future Plans: Unsure as of right now. I'd like to take some time off before deciding on a grad school plan in order to do volunteer work and travel, hopefully. I'm deciding between Master's programs in Drama Therapy or Education here at The College of New Jersey.
Brittany Bocchieri
Class of 2014
Psychology Major and Deaf Studies Minor
Why I Joined This Lab: I have always found romantic relationships to be one of the most interesting topics. I am passionate about love which is why I am looking toward a career as a marriage and family counselor, and I felt that this would coincide with what I am interested in doing in the future.
Future Plans: I intend to work toward a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling and then attend graduate school for Psy.D.
Lesley Clisura
Class of 2014
Psychology Major, Communication Disorders Minor
Why I joined this lab: I had participated in this study in the past and thought that it was a very interesting process and really wanted to know what it was all about. Additionally, I wanted more experience in a research setting, and my fascination with interpersonal relationships made this lab a perfect fit for me.
Future Plans: After I graduate from TCNJ, I plan on attending graduate school to get my master's in Speech Pathology.
Lizzy Finke
Class of 2014
Psychology Major, Spanish Minor
Why I joined this lab: I plan on having a career in clinical psychology and this lab will help with my interview skills.I also want to work with adolescents and romantic relationships are an important part of this stage in development.
Future Plans: After I graduate, I plan on getting my Master's in school psychology and my animal cop license.
Crystal Gonzalez
Class of 2014
Psychology Major, Criminology Minor
Why I joined this lab: I had done research on romantic relationships in a previous class and found it incredibly intriguing. When I found out that there was a lab that dealt specifically with this topic, I couldn’t wait to join. I also wanted to become more experienced in a research setting and work on my interviewing skills.
Future Plans: After I graduate, I plan on attending graduate school to get my PsyD in school psychology
Alana Jorgenson
Class of 2014
Psychology Major, Spanish Minor
Why I joined this lab: I joined the RRR lab to gain experience in a quantitative lab, and to have a unique research experience where I could gain skills in interviewing, coding, and transcribing data. I find the subject of romantic relationships to be a fascinating topic, and I love the opportunity to be involved in a lab that is related to counseling/clinical psychology..
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Briana Luppino
Class of 2014
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I'm interested in clinical and counseling psychology and wanted to get involved in a lab in this type of field. After getting interviewing and transcribing experience in a previously lab, I realized I wanted to pursue this further and join a lab where I can practice 1-on-1 interviews.
Future Plans: I plan on (hopefully) continuing on to get my PsyD or PhD in clinical psychology and eventually opening my own practice.
Elizabeth Maxwell
Class of 2014
Psychology Major,Women's and Gender Studies Minor
Why I joined this lab: I have always been interested in romantic relationships from a psychological point of view. I am excited to do one on one interviews and get to know what really goes on in people's monds when they choose partners or choose to break up. This is also the most relevant lab to my future career choice.
Future Plans: I intend on being accepted into a graduate program for Marriage and Family counseling.
Michael Spekhardt
Class of 2014
Psychology Major, Marketing Minor
Interests: I am extremely interested in Developmental Psychology, specifically looking at inner city impoverished youth. I have previously worked with the B.O.Y.D. Lifeskills program in Trenton. Currently I employed by Camp Fire NJ and I am conducting a senior honors thesis assessing 40,000 children across the state of New Jersey. I am also on the Men’s Track team and was named an NCAA Academic All-American.
RRR Lab: In Developmental Psychology I will be required to use one-on-one interviews to collect quantitative data from young children. The lab offers great experience with conducting important interviews and instills valuable tools in the lab staff members. Romantic relationships in college have also always been a particular interest to me in research.
Future Plans: I plan to participate in the Teach for America program in the upcoming two years. My desired location would be in North Philadelphia in cooperation with Temple University. I also have some desires to continue running Track professionally at the National Club level.
Alyssa Steckler
Class of 2014
Psychology Major
Why I joined: I joined the RRR Lab because I wanted experience in a lab that was related to the clinical field. I would also like to gain more research experience in general, and become more confident by learning how to properly give interviews. I also think emotions and relationships are interesting subjects to do research on and I think this will be a rewarding experience overall.
Future plans: After graduating from TCNJ I plan on attending graduate school for my Psy. D or Ph. D and hopefully opening up my own practice some day.
CLASS OF 2014
Nicholas Wance
Psychology Major, Premed
Why I joined this lab: After being a participant in this study, I spoke to one of the lab members about what exactly the lab focused on, which I found very fascinating. One of my professors also recommended it to me because of my interest in clinical psychology.
Future Plans: After I graduate from TCNJ, I plan on working in a
psychiatric hospital for a year and then possibly go to med school.
CLASS OF 2013
Gretchen Conway
Psychology Major, Communication Studies Minor
Why I joined this lab: I am fascinated by the interactions that take place between people and specifically those between people in a romantic relationship. I am excited to interview participants and see how their emotions relate to their perceptions of their relationship. I am also really intrigued by the interview process and about learning how to become a good interviewer.
Future Plans: I am currently looking into Master’s programs in Social Work. I would like to find out more about becoming an LCSW and possibly working in a hospital setting and also having my own practice to perform both family and individual therapy.
CLASS OF 2012
Trista Chiu
Psychology Major, Sociology Minor
Why I joined this lab: I have participated in the Romantic Lab several times and find it very interesting. Since I am currently in a romantic relationship, I am very curious how other college students’ relationships are like today. I would like to explore the gender role/power issues and the different emotions experienced in different relationships.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on continuing my education in graduate school. I plan on getting a Ph. D. As of right now, I would like to become a school psychologist.
Caroline Kehoe
Clinical/Counseling Psychology Major, Spanish Minor
Why I joined this lab: I wanted to gain experience working with psychological research as well as to develop my qualitative research skills; furthermore, Dr. Feiring's research on adolescent romantic relationships was of great interest to me, and I knew I would be passionate working with a topic that so closely effects my own life.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan to attain a Ph.D in clinical psychology.
Christopher Lombardi
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I have always been interested in studying the dynamics of romantic relationships. Studying how gender and power play a role in relationships was an intriguing prospect for me. I also joined this lab to gain valuable research experience, as I feel that the skills I will learn will help me greatly in my future clinical practice.
Future plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on going to graduate school for clinical psychology, with the end goal being a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology.
Izabela Milaniak
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I thinking that developing interviewing skills, especially pertaining to sensitive topics such as romantic relationships, is invaluable not only for research, but also for clinical practice. Furthermore, romantic relationships, especially in late adolescence is an interesting topic to study and collect data on.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on attending graduate school in a Clinical Psychology Ph.D program. In the future, I want to specialize in Forensic Psychology.
Sully Anne Soto
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I joined the RRRLab because I am both interested in obtaining some research experience and interested in all the emotions that arise in a romantic relationship.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on attending graduate school to receive my masters in Psychology or Social Work.
Jessica Spayd
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I would like to gain research experience and develop my interviewing skills. I have participated in the study in the past and was intrigued by the interviewing methods, as well as the subject matter.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan to pursue a Master's degree in school counseling..
Alexander Yasneski
Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I am eager to gain more experience in the research field. I find romantic relationships to be a very interesting topic of study and hope to gain a better understanding of them through this research.
Future Plans: I plan on attending grad school to work toward becoming a high school guidance counselor or a school psychologist.
CLASS OF 2011
Michelle Christie
Psychology Major, Italian and Communication Disorders Minor
I graduated from TCNJ in May 2011 with a BA in psychology and a minor in Italian. I currently attend Columbia University and will be getting my Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2013.
Although I have taken a different path in my education from psychology, I have learned a lot of skills from the RRR Lab that will be helpful in my future career. Occupational Therapy has a strong foundation in mental health, so a lot of my prior education is relevant to what I am learning now. Specifically from RRR Lab I think researching and interviewing skills that I learned have prepared me for what I am doing now. One of the first days of class we talked about the importance of interview skills when talking to clients when getting their occupational profiles. We mentioned things such as active listening, nonverbal communication, and understanding what the client is saying even if their words are contradictory or it seems as if they are not telling the entire truth. I have a strong foundation in all of these skills from my experience in lab. Although we do not start research until the Spring semester I know that RRR Lab has given me a strong foundation in research skills. Another important thing I learned in lab was how to read an article and pick apart exactly what the researchers are saying (or not saying) and how to understand what all of the results actually mean.
Lauren deFressine
Psychology Major, Fine Arts Minor
I am currently attending a master’s program in psychology at The New School, where I am hoping to eventually obtain my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. I am also working as a research assistant at The Center for Attachment Research at The New School.
The RRRLab helped me prepare for my current work by giving me the hands-on experience of carrying out the responsibilities of working in a research lab.
Sharanya Mohanty
Psychology Major, Women and Gender Studies and Chemistry Minor
I am currently working in a spinal cord injury laboratory at New Jersey Medical School. The name of the lab is Reynolds Family Spine Research Laboratory. I am working with a six-member team on the Durotomy project, which is based on a rodent spinal cord injury model and was initially developed at the lab. Our team is responsible for assessing the link between spinal cord injury treatment and its effects on motor, sensory and autonomic functions in rats. I am also applying to medical schools simultaneously for the incoming class of Fall 2012.
The RRR Lab prepared me to effectively deal with sensitive topics when it comes to interviewing people. This was really useful during some of my med-school interviews where they had us simulate a patient-physician scenario. Working on my thesis with Dr. Feiring also prepared me to write many of the clinical papers that I am now responsible for submitting to medical journals. I also feel that to some extent the RRRLab prepared me for my own life and personal relationships. Through our interviews and coding system, I learned a lot about how negative emotion can be manifested within relationships and how to tackle such problems without doing damage to the relationship.
Joseph Sciarretta
Psychology Major, Clincal/Counseling Specialization
I am currently working for Bancroft, which is a state sponsored, non-profit organization that aids and supports individuals with acquired brain-injuries and lifelong developmental disabilities. I am currently preparing to apply for some select Clinical Psy.D and Ph.D programs.
The RRR Lab helped me prepare to deal with the pressure of an interview both as a potential "interviewer", who has to interact with a distressed population, but also as an "interviewee" who has to be personable during an employment interview.
Melissa Zielinski
Psychology and Health & Exercise Science Double Major
I graduated in the class of 2011 with a double major in psychology and health and exercise science. I am currently a first-year student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Arkansas, where I have a graduate research assistantship under Dr. Jennifer Veilleux. We are just starting up the lab, so we are currently in the planning stage for the first studies we will run. The first study will likely focus on the influence of temporal perspective on emotions induced in the lab and how these emotions influence risk-taking. I think the RRR Lab helped prepare me for graduate school because of the level of involvement I was able to have in the lab. I gained experience doing narrative interviews and working with the whole lab team to implement follow-up interviews with our participants. Also, I gained experience planning a study with a partner by doing a 492 and had the opportunity to present those findings at a professional conference. Dr. Feiring is a great mentor and someone you can learn a lot from by being involved with RRR Lab. She taught me specific skills such as how to carefully analyze the articles I read and how to improve my writing, but she also helped me realize how important it is to have a mentor that is invested in his/her students which greatly influenced my graduate school search. I am very glad to have had so many opportunities through RRR Lab!
CLASS OF 2010
Maria Banis
Psychology, Fine Art Minor
Why I joined this lab: I am interested in learning about the dynamics ofdifferent romantic relationships, and about how culture and heritage may affect how partners interact and manage their conflicts. I also enjoy the experience I am gaining in a research lab, and I am particularly interested in the interviewing and coding processes.
Future Plans: I have applied to and am waiting to hear from graduate programs in Clinical Psychology, to ultimately attain my doctorate degree and work with patients with eating disorders.
Dhara Desai
Clinical and Counseling Psychology Major
I am currently attending Drexel University for my Master's in Couple and Family Therapy. I will be graduating in June 2012 and then plan to work after that.
I think the RRRLab helped me in understanding how to talk to people about sensitive and personal issues. For example, during lab, we had to interview people in romantic relationships about good and bad times with their SO. This skill helped me to bring about sensitive issues with the clients I currently work with.
Erika Keorlet
Clinical and Counseling Psychology Major, Criminology and Justice Studies Minor
Why I joined this lab: I am returning to the lab for my second semester. I joined the RRRLab because I'm interested in learning more about the dynamics and intricacies of romantic relationships and their effect on people.
Future Plans: After I graduate, I hope to go on to Grad school to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. I would love to someday work with adolescents and their families, particularly in a school or hospital setting.
Deven Mavani
Clinical and Counseling Psychology Major
Currently I am a full time graduate student at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (MSPP for short) studying for my Masters in Counseling Psychology. I am looking to go on to the Clinical Psy.d at this same school in Advanced Standing after I finish the Masters.
The RRR lab helped in many different ways actually. We have to video-record mock therapy sessions and transcribe them verbatim. While the transcription may be a different format than the lab's, it certainly made it less tedious.
Interview training and conducting interviews helped enormously because I did not feel any type of hesitation during 1 on 1 mock sessions. I was able to be at a higher level than some of my peers because of having that experience.
Coding was also a big help. We have to code our own transcripts of therapy sessions and because of the coding work I did in the lab, I understood the new concepts of our coding system very quickly and efficiently.
Rachel Posner
Clinical and Counseling Psychology Major
I graduated in May 2010. I am currently a second year PsyD student at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I work in a Family/Child clinic on campus, do research on a violence prevention program for my assistantship, volunteer at a women’s shelter, and conduct independent research with the guidance of a professor. RRR lab prepared me in many ways for the work I do now. I currently draw upon the collaborative and interview skills I learned in the lab. Much of my clinic work is collaborative and we meet as a group to discuss cases and current research. I find that the interview skills have informed the way I conduct therapy intakes as well. I wasn’t sure how much qualitative research I would encounter in my program, but my new assistantship involves coding posts made about violence topics. I have been assigned to develop this coding system, code posts, and achieve inter-rater reliability. My assistantship advisor has found me to be an amazing asset, and was surprised at how much knowledge I possessed about coding systems. I owe all of this to the RRRlab.
CLASS OF 2009
Suzanne Bates
Biopsychology Psychology Major
I secured a job as a research assistant at Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia prior to graduation, and I've been working there since June 2009. Dr. Feiring was a strong reference during my job search. Overall, being involved with multiple labs at TCNJ enabled me to sharpen skills in different areas. Regarding the RRR lab, I think that being involved in the coding of transcripts and seeing how our group influenced the development of the manual was really a special experience that not all undergraduates get. Interviewing participants helped prepare me for my job, as it gave me experience with building rapport with people I've just met.
Robert Day
Clinical/Counseling Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: I returned a second semester in the lab to ncrease my researching abilities. I also have come back to work on the psychometrics of a study.
Future Plans:After graduation I hope to find a job that will help me to increase my researching skills. I also would like to obtain my doctorate in psychology.
Bethany Heleniak
Clinical/Counseling Psychology Major, Women in Gender Studies Minor
I graduated from TCNJ in May of 2009 and worked for two years at the University Medical Center at Princeton Eating Disorder Program. I just started a Clinical Ph.D. program at Fairleigh Dickinson University and I feel that my time with the RRR lab truly prepared me for the challenges of graduate school. I am part of a research lab at FDU that focuses on women's issues and eating disorders research.
Dasal Jashar
Clinical/Counseling Psychology Major, Sociology Minor
After graduating in the Spring of 2009, I worked as a research assistant in the Research and Education for Autism in Children (REACH) lab at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. For two years, I worked on studies for the early detection and intervention of autism. I am now a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D program at the University of Connecticut. I am working in Dr. Deborah Fein's Early Detection Lab. The RRR lab has greatly influenced my growth as a researcher. Not only did participating in the lab give me my first hands-on experience with the research process, but under the guidance of Dr. Feiring, it also greatly helped to develop my critical thinking skills, which I believe is a crucial ingredient to one's success as a researcher.
Hillary Klimowicz
Clinical/Counseling Major, Women and Gender Studies & Sociology Minor
Why I joined this lab: In my Research Seminar class I did a project on Infidelity in Relationships where my research group gathered qualitative data via interviews, essays, and a focus group. I really enjoyed the interview method of collecting data and wanted to expand on my interview and coding skills. I found the types of relationships we discovered very interesting and recognized the need for more research on relationships. The RRRLab seems like a great place for me to continue studying relationships.
Future Plans: I plan going to graduate school in the fall of 2009. I want to earn a Master's Degree in school counseling. I hope to go on to be a gh school guidance counselor and girls' basketball coach.
Jenna Michelle Meyerberg
Clinical/Counseling Major
Why I joined this lab: I am currently a Student Anti-Violence Educator for the Office of Anti-Violence Initiatives, dealing with the primary prevention of sexual assault, inter-partner violence, domestic violence, and stalking. My experience in this department has led to a sincere interest in how interpersonal relationships affect each of us.
Future Plans: I am attending graduate school to obtain a masters degree in psychology.
Danielle Paterno
Cognitive Psychology Major, International Studies Minor
Why I joined this lab: Labwork has been my most fulfilling and hands on learning experience at TCNJ. I started in the Memory Lab and wanted to broaden my research horizons and try other labs. I also want to try many different fields of Psychology because I am still unsure of what I want to fully dedicate my career to.
Future Plans: I'm currently searching for Masters programs that appeal to my many interests. I'm considering interning or researching for a year before continuing my education, so I can get a firm idea of the oncentration that is perfect for me.
CLASS OF 2008
Sonia Reso
A biopsychology major graduated in May 2008. Her personal interests include working out, playing guitar, and spending time with her loved ones while her professional interests are based on the integration of the field of neuroscience and clinical/social issues. Sonia is pursuing a degree in school counselling at TCNJ.
Desiree Romaguera
A Clinical/Counseling Psychology graduated in May 2008. My Senior Honors Thesis with Dr. Feiring was completed in May of 2008. I am attending the PsyD. program at Rutgers and was honored with a full scholarship. I want to become a psychologist and work mainly with couples and families.
May Sobhy
A Clinical and Counseling Psychology graduated in May 2008. My academic interests include marriage and family therapy, body image, animal behavior, cognitive behavioral therapy, and adolescent psychology. My personal interests include foreign languages and cuisine, travel, exercise, and music (jazz, pop, and classical rock, mainly). I am attending the TCNJ counselling program plan on becoming a high school counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist.
OTHER FORMER LABBERS
Katie Peters
Clinical Counseling Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: As a sophomore, I knew I wanted to get more involved in the Psychology Department and I thought the best way to do this was to participate in faculty-led research. I applied for a few labs, and liked the Romantic Relationships Research Lab the best. I think that doing research as an undergraduate is an invaluable experience that will undoubtedly help me down the line as I begin to apply for graduate schools. I intend to stay with this lab throughout my next two years at TCNJ.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on attending graduate school, and am interested in pursuing Art Therapy. Ultimately, I hope to obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Amanda Martinez
Clinical Counseling Psychology Major
Why I joined this lab: As a sophomore, I knew I wanted to get more involved in the Psychology Department and I thought the best way to do this was to participate in faculty-led research. I applied for a few labs, and liked the Romantic Relationships Research Lab the best. I think that doing research as an undergraduate is an invaluable experience that will undoubtedly help me down the line as I begin to apply for graduate schools. I intend to stay with this lab throughout my next two years at TCNJ.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on attending graduate school, and am interested in pursuing Art Therapy. Ultimately, I hope to obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Emily Almog
Psychology Major, Italian and Communication Disorders Minor
Why I joined this lab: I love working in a research setting/environment and I am very interested in the research topic studied in this lab. I think the relationships that form between people who are romantically involved are fascinating. I am eager to gain a greater understanding of the structure/intricacies of such relationships.
Future Plans: After graduating from TCNJ, I plan on attending graduate school to become a Physician Assistant. I am unsure of the area I would like to specialize in, but I am very excited to explore them all.