2025 Psychological Sciences Student Award Winners

Aishwarya Kumar
Outstanding Graduate Student in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology Concentration
Steve Haggbloom Award

Aishwarya is an M.S. student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Western Kentucky University. Originally from San Diego, California, she earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Missouri, Columbia. Passionate about improving employee experiences, Aishwarya is dedicated to optimizing organizational policies and management practices to enhance workplace well-being. She aspires to work in People Analytics after graduation, using data-driven insights to drive positive change in organizations. In recognition of her expertise in human resources, she earned her SHRM-CP certification in December. Aishwarya is committed to creating healthier and more productive work environments through evidence-based strategies.

Chelsea Howd
Outstanding Graduate Student in the Psychological Sciences Concentration

Chelsea is a second-year student in the Psychology M.S. program. She grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi, and earned her B.S. in Microbiology with a Psychology minor from Mississippi State University. After graduating from WKU, she will attend Texas Tech University’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Her goal is to become a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher in an academic medical center, developing and implementing assessments and interventions for minoritized populations. Her research interests focus on suicide identification and prevention, particularly among sexual minorities, and how contextual factors like healthcare access and lethal means influence risk.

Sophia Bryant
Academic Achievement Award

Sophia, originally from Louisville, is a double major in Psychological Sciences and Spanish, with minors in Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science. At WKU, she is actively involved in the Honors College, Student Government Association, Pre-Law Student Association, and Delta Zeta. Sophia is passionate about advocacy, language, and global perspectives, which inform both her academic and extracurricular pursuits. After graduation, she plans to attend law school or pursue a graduate degree in international affairs. Her interdisciplinary background and leadership experience have prepared her to make a meaningful impact in law, policy, and global human rights.

Emma Maddox
Academic Achievement Award

Emma grew up in Shepherdsville, with her mom Amy McDowell and stepdad Marcus McDowell. She is a Psychological Science and Art History double major and a Gender and Women’s Studies minor. After graduation, she will be attending graduate school at American University in Washington D.C. to earn an M.A. in Art History. Her next step will be to pursue a Ph.D. and become a professor of art history. Ultimately, she aims to highlight underrepresented demographics in existing scholarship, incorporate diverse perspectives, and make the study of art history more accessible to everyone.

Nathan Meredith
Academic Achievement Award
Outstanding Senior Award

Nathan is from Clarkson, Kentucky, and is currently completing a dual degree in Biology and Psychological Sciences with a minor in Neuroscience. He currently works under the mentorship of Dr. Jenni Teeters in the Technology Enhancing Community Health (TECH) Lab—an experience that has deepened his commitment to psychological research. Nathan looks forward to continuing his education this fall in WKU’s M.S. in Psychology program. In the future, he hopes to earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with research interests in interventions aimed at reducing substance use and risky sexual behavior as risk factors for HIV.

Natalie Spiva
Academic Achievement Award

Natalie, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, is a Psychological Sciences major who will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at the University of Louisville after graduating. Her research interests center on language processes, bilingualism, and linguistics, which she began exploring as an undergraduate. Since Fall 2023, she has served as a research assistant in Dr. Mienaltowski’s Lifespan Social Cognition Lab, contributing to projects on aging, emotion, and pain perception in older adults. She also previously worked in Dr. Ledwidge’s BRAiNS Lab, assisting with research on emotional regulation and language abilities in individuals with childhood traumatic brain injuries. Natalie is passionate about interdisciplinary approaches to understanding language and cognition.

Riley Bryant
Outstanding Junior Award

Riley grew up in Boston, Kentucky, where she attended Boston Elementary and Middle School, and later, Thomas Nelson High School. Riley came to WKU to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychological Sciences. At WKU, Riley is a research assistant in the Discrimination and Work-Life Lab. She plans on staying at WKU to pursue a master’s degree in I/O Psychology. After finishing her master’s degree, Riley would like to become a practitioner in I/O Psychology.

Alejandro Ramirez
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award

Alejandro is an Honor’s student at Western Kentucky University, pursuing double majors in Psychological Sciences and Biology with a Neuroscience minor. Originally from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, he is passionate about behavioral neuroscience and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in the field. His research interests focus on the behavioral pharmacology of commonly misused central nervous system depressants. Alejandro has gained extensive experience through research assistantships in multiple labs and has contributed to studies on psychopharmacology and substance use. He is dedicated to advancing the understanding of drug effects on behavior and hopes to make meaningful contributions to the field of addiction science.

Lynnsey Cole
Outstanding Undergraduate Service Award

Lynnsey was raised in Barbourville, Kentucky. She joined the Lifespan Social Cognition Lab and Brain Research and Assessment in Neurotrauma and Sport Lab, where she got the opportunity to design and carry out studies and earned a FUSE grant. She served as a student ambassador, the Vice President and President of Psi Chi, and was a founding member and current president of the Psychological Science Club. Lynnsey has been accepted into the Gerontology program at GSU and plans to earn a master’s and eventually a Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology so that she can work with older adults with neurodegenerative disorders.