Psychology Department News

Isabella Linton, a senior in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, is a Mountaineer from way back. Her family has deep roots in West Virginia, and she grew up in the house her grandparents built. Linton has turned a lifelong curiosity about the brain into meaningful, hands-on research. Through lab work and faculty mentorship, she has explored how maternal stress impacts development while building a strong foundation in scientific inquiry.

First-generation faculty from West Virginia University’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and FirstGen Initiatives, housed within REACH Student Success, are playing a central role in expanding mentorship and support systems for first-generation students, contributing their expertise to a statewide initiative funded by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Neuroscience is about the human condition.” And for Kathleen “Katie” Morrison, an assistant professor specializing in behavioral neuroscience psychology in the West Virginia University Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology, the human condition is defined by resiliency.

Eberly College professors featured as "power couples that are colleagues by day and spouses after hours." These faculty couples have made their relationships work thanks to their willingness to embrace each other’s passions.

When it comes to self-control, adolescents tend to follow the patterns their parents establish, according to West Virginia University psychology research. Professor Amy Gentzler of the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences led a six-month survey of 213 Appalachian adolescents and their parents, learning about their self-control in areas like health, work and school, money management, leisure activities and relationships.

Dr. Eric Horstick, a faculty member in West Virginia University’s Department of Biology, is advancing our understanding of how the brain adapts to the world around it. His research focuses on how environmental and sensory experiences shape neural circuits and influence behavior, uncovering fundamental principles of brain plasticity that extend across species.

West Virginia University scholarship recipients Ben Golden, Jayla Boyd and Reese Allen could never have imagined how philanthropic support would lead to unexpected opportunities that would shape their college careers and professional goals. As a Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship recipient, Golden found he could study more than general business; he could fine-tune his studies down to a music business and industry degree. And, through donor support, Golden discovered he could do even more.

The Hazel Ruby McQuain Graduate Scholarship invests in West Virginia residents who are committed to scholarly study or professional work that may potentially address the greatest needs of West Virginia and its citizens.

Ten students from the Ebelry College of Arts and Sciences have earned Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships to travel abroad this summer without financial constraints. These undergraduate students received the competitive national award funded by the U.S. State Department to participate in transformative study abroad experiences.

Fifty-five graduates were inducted as lifelong members into the WVU Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a national honor society that recognizes outstanding achievement in the liberal arts and sciences, and champions freedom of thought.