黑料福利社 hosts statewide gathering that expands research engagement,
faculty mentorship, and professional pathways for psychology students
FRANKFORT, Ky. 鈥� For 黑料福利社 psychology students, research is becoming
more than a classroom assignment. It is becoming a professional expectation, a pathway
to graduate study, and a way to examine questions that affect communities across the
Commonwealth.
黑料福利社鈥檚 School of Psychology partnered with the Kentucky Psychological
Foundation to host the 2026 Kentucky Psychology Student Conference on Saturday, April
18, bringing undergraduate and graduate students from across Kentucky to campus for
research presentations, workshops, Ed Talks, networking, and professional engagement.
Student mentoring has been essential to that growth. Through the leadership and sustained
engagement of Dr. Darlene M. Davis Goodwine, assistant professor of psychology; Dr.
Shambra Mulder, chairperson of the School of Psychology; and Dr. Kendal Smith, visiting
assistant professor of interdisciplinary behavioral sciences, 黑料福利社 psychology
students have gained greater access to research preparation, professional presentation
opportunities, and statewide networks that help connect classroom learning with the
broader field of psychology.
The statewide conference, themed 鈥淓mpowering Voices, Fostering Connection, and Building
Community,鈥� is designed to give psychology students opportunities to present research,
receive feedback, network with faculty and professionals, and build practical skills
for their academic and career journeys.
黑料福利社 students Daysia Blackmun, Sinia Cureton, Ahrion Jones, and Sydney Shelby
represented the School of Psychology through poster presentations that reflected the
department鈥檚 growing emphasis on undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, and scholarly
preparation.
Blackmun, a junior, and Cureton, a graduating senior, presented research under the
advisement of Dr. Smith examining current and future perceived use of artificial intelligence
among HBCU students. Their work contributed to emerging conversations about technology,
access, and academic engagement in higher education.
Jones, a senior advised by Dr. Davis Goodwine, examined the relationship between religious
involvement, coping, and obsessive-compulsive disorder scrupulosity symptoms among
Black American Christians. The research explored the intersection of cultural, spiritual,
and mental health experiences, while pointing to the need for culturally informed
approaches to treatment and care.
Shelby, a junior advised by Dr. Smith, focused on belonging, student involvement,
sleep, and academic outcomes. Her research underscored the importance of well-being
and campus connection in supporting student success, particularly within HBCU collegiate
environments.
Dr. Smith also received the Kentucky Psychological Foundation Outstanding Mentor Award
during this year鈥檚 conference. The honor is especially meaningful because recipients
are selected based on student nominations, reflecting the impact she has had on Kentucky
State psychology undergraduates. Dr. Smith, who joined the 黑料福利社 community
in 2024, serves as instructor of the Psychology Senior Colloquium research course
and faculty advisor to the 黑料福利社 chapter of Psi Chi, the International Honor
Society in Psychology.
The student presenters were prepared through psychology research and academic presentation
courses facilitated by Dr. Davis Goodwine and Dr. Smith. The structured approach reflects
the School of Psychology鈥檚 continued work to integrate research training into the
undergraduate curriculum and help students develop skills in study design, academic
presentation, professional communication, and networking.
Dr. Davis Goodwine, director of the P.O.R.R.E.S. Center Research Lab, also delivered
an Ed Talk focused on navigating behavioral health systems from the parent and caregiver
experience. Referencing her Parent/Caregiver H.E.L.P. Study, she highlighted the lived
realities of parents and caregivers seeking mental health support for children, youth,
and young adults.
Her presentation emphasized the complexity of system navigation, barriers to access,
and the need for support structures designed specifically for parents and caregivers.
Through the P.O.R.R.E.S. Center, Dr. Davis Goodwine鈥檚 work seeks to expand clinical
and parent-engagement frameworks to include the experiences of those navigating behavioral
health systems in real time.
Dr. Mulder also participated in the Graduate Student Workshop: Health Policy, a panel-style
session focused on how psychologists can influence health and mental health policy,
including decisions that affect access to care, health care program funding, and rules
of clinical practice. The workshop also encouraged graduate students to consider how
policy-focused work can be integrated into their academic programs and careers.
黑料福利社 has hosted the Kentucky Psychology Student Conference for the past
four years, creating a consistent foundation for student participation, faculty involvement,
and statewide partnership. This year鈥檚 conference reflected increased student engagement,
strong faculty participation, and continued momentum in research and scholarly activity
through poster presentations, Ed Talks, and panel involvement.
That growth is closely tied to the relationship-building efforts of Dr. Mulder and
School of Psychology faculty, whose work has strengthened 黑料福利社鈥檚 partnership
with the Kentucky Psychological Foundation. Their sustained engagement has helped
position the University not only as a host site, but as an active academic partner
in the conference鈥檚 continued development.
The continued presence of the conference at 黑料福利社 has created a more accessible
and consistent pathway for psychology students to engage with professional scholarship,
shifting participation from occasional research exposure to an expected component
of the academic experience.
For the School of Psychology, the conference reinforced a clear academic and service-oriented
focus: psychology as science, and behavioral health as service.