Students and Faculty Present Research at Southwestern Psychological Association

Northwest Vista College (NVC) was well-represented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA), March 28 through March 30, 2024.

Twenty-one current NVC students attended, including: Linda Calderon, Isaiah Cisneros, Melanie Cordero, Abigail Fjord, Ashley Frost, Nicolas Garcia, Cassandra Gomez, Joseph Gorena, Monique Johnson, Samara Jones, Kerry Lynn Lane, Abril Martinez, Geraldine Moreno, Susan Olvera, Tristan Perez, Robin Pritchard, Mark Sancez, Samuel Santacroce, Chris Sauceda, Jax Silva, and Luis Vera III.

When asked about attending her first SWPA, NVC student Monique Johnson said, “Initially, my anticipation for attending SWPA was centered around acquiring new scientific insights into cognitive learning and thought patterns.  However, what pleasantly surprised me was the profound expansion of my mind to embrace new possibilities and opportunities.  Previously confined to the basics of learning, I now envision…myself assuming roles as a speaker, educator, and researcher.”

SWPA is all about psychology, research, and students-authentically-finding-their-way as they help others do the same, or as NVC student Robin Pritchard says, “the 2024 SWPA convention was a truly transformative experience.”

NVC psychology faculty were also in attendance at SWPA, including: Associate Professor Jen Fox, Professor Don Lucas, Instructor Erica Montanye, and Associate Professor Catie Phillips.

This was Dr. Montanye’s first SWPA.  When asked about her experiences, she agreed with Robin Pritchard’s take on SWPA, “For many students, this experience was transformational.  Not only did attendees learn about new studies first-hand from psychologists and researchers in various specialty fields they were interested in, but they also got to network, meet with university representatives, and explore bachelor and graduate programs.  As a faculty member in attendance, it was a pleasure to help guide students through this process and answer questions.”

Some of the research SWPA attendees learned about was generated by NVC psychology faculty.  For example, Dr. Lucas gave a talk titled, “It’s in the Syllabus,” in which he shared the empirical answer to the question every professor wants to know the answer to, “Do my students really read the syllabus?”

And Monique Johnson further observed, “A particularly touching moment was when Dr. Don extended opportunities for student presentations and studies.  This gesture not only reassured me but also reaffirmed the genuine care Alamo colleges and professors have for their students.”

Indeed, some of the research SWPA attendees learned about was generated by NVC students. 

For instance, along with Dr. Lucas, current and former NVC students, including: Joseph Gorena, Mark Sanchez, Matthew Campos (a recent graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio), Michael DeLeon (now attending the University of Texas at Austin), Julia Martinez (now attending St. Mary’s University), and Aurora Riojas (now attending the University of Texas at Austin) gave two research talks, one titled, “Students’ Implicit Biases Affect Their Beliefs about Professors of Different Ethnicities and Genders,” and another titled, “Does an Instructor’s Apparent Ethnicity or Gender Affect Online Student Learning?”

Taking advantage of his opportunity to do original scientific research, current NVC student, Joseph Gorena said, “this year’s SWPA research conference was such an amazing opportunity for learning and networking that I never imagined having at NVC, and I could not be more grateful.  Sharing the research that we have worked so hard on was an incredibly rewarding feeling!”

Additionally, two more former NVC students shared their research at SWPA:

Jasmyne Thomas, a graduate student at Texas A & M University San Antonio, gave a talk titled, “Stress and Social Comparison: Impact on Hispanic Students.”  And Megan Davis, an undergraduate student at St. Mary’s University, presented a poster titled, “How do Tursiops Truncatus Behave in the Presence of a Swimming Researcher?”

Several NVC students in attendance at this year’s SWPA are planning research for possible presentations at SWPA 2025, which will be in Little Rock, Arkansas.

NVC students have been presenting at SWPA since 2005.