Bowie State University News June 24, 2019 Students & Faculty Invited to Share Research at International Conference Nine Bowie State University graduate students and three professors, analyzing best practices in education and school psychology for diverse students, will present original research at the International School Psychology Association Conference<https://www.ispaweb.org/conferences/ispa-conference-2019/> in Basel, Switzerland in July. For five of the students, it was the second straight year that they were invited to showcase their research at the three-day conference, one of the world's largest meetings of school psychologists. Last year, 13 school psychology students presented two research projects in Tokyo, Japan<https://www.bowiestate.edu/about/news/details/bsu-counseling-students-to-present-award-winning-research-in-japan/>. "The research of our BSU scholars is critical to address our current global crisis around how society learns to embrace diversity in all of its forms. It is really an issue of educational equity," said Dr. Darla Scott, associate professor of school psychology and the student's research advisor. "Our graduate students have already uncovered findings that can impact how we prepare trainees to enter the field and what factors best support diverse communities. Ultimately, we recognize the importance of being a part of international conversations about how we move forward and help our educational stakeholders connect across lines of racial and ethnic diversity." This year, two second-year students Carly Sanchez and Aubrie Kerner wrote a paper investigating how supportive adults affect the psychological well-being of children suffering from adverse experiences, like abuse, neglect and other potential trauma. Their research identifies who these adults tend to be and how they provide support, with the goal of informing school psychologists about how they can effectively support their students. Three of the school psychology program's faculty, Drs. Scott, Kimberly Daniel and Jennifer West, will present a paper that highlights teaching and programmatic methods for developing culturally competent school psychologists. Their paper demonstrates how encouraging social connection promotes interdependence among college students and community stakeholders. These practices - including mock interviews, culturally responsive evaluation activities and collaborative reflective writing exercises - have enhanced the rigor and effectiveness of BSU's school psychology master's degree program<https://www.bowiestate.edu/academics-research/colleges/college-of-education/departments/counseling/degree-programs/master-of-arts-in-school-psych/>, which is fully approved by the National Association for School Psychologists. Seven more students developed research posters for presentation: * Second-year students Shemiyah Holland and Monique Easley explored factors that influence ethnically diverse students' level of engagement in college courses. Their research uncovers demographic and teaching factors that contribute to college students' ability to play an active role in their learning. * Tali Spencer, a second-year student, examined how urban public and charter schools implement and evaluate their restorative justice programs as an alternative to traditional discipline. Restorative justice involves a collaborative approach to preventing wrongdoing. In reviewing the schools' restorative practices, she evaluated their impact and benefit, specifically for students of color. * Ariel Tucker, a first-year graduate student, explores high school teachers' understanding and use of multiple intelligence, an instructional strategy based on the theory that people's intelligence can be differentiated into several abilities rather than one general skillset. * A team of first-year students, Rachel Reed, Samantha Nichols and Ashley Rosner, uncover the impact of social media usage on the development of first-year college students' psychosocial identity. SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/