News Around Webster: Kracen research; Dixon panel on diversity; apprentice teaching
September 14, 2020
Recent professional news and achievements for Webster University community members include:
Kracen Research with Alumni on Psycho-oncology
Amanda Kracen and several Webster alumni who were her research assistants co-published a paper
on psychologists providing clinical care in psycho-oncology. Kracen is associate professor
in the Department of Psychology in the Webster University College of Arts & Sciences.
She and the alumni conducted the resarch with her colleagues at the University of
Denver.
The Webster alumni co-authors involved are now in gaduate school:
- Afton Nelson '18, now studying neuroscience at Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
- Hannah Rowold'18, now earning a doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy at MGH Institute of Health Professions)
- Taylor Michl '19, now studying counseling psychology at The University of Missouri - Kansas City
Given the need for psychosocial professionals to provide treatment for the increasing number of cancer survivors in our aging society, it is important to consider what helps and hinders professionals in their work. Therefore, this study sought to understand the work experiences of psychologists working in psycho‐oncology, specifically clarifying the rewards and challenges they experience as a result of their occupation.
Read the full abstract for the paper here. Kracen, A.C., Taylor, N., Raque-Bogdan, T., Michl, T.*, Nelson, A.*, & Rowold, H.*,
Engblom, H. *, Joseph, E. *,
Ross, K. * (2020). Sustaining factors, rewards, and challenges for psychologists providing
clinical care in psycho-oncology. Psycho-Oncology. 2020;1–7.
Medium: MAT Alum Reflects on School of Ed Teacher Prep in Pandemic
Medium interview with 2020 Webster MAT graduate Betsy McMahon discusses teaching during the pandemic and how the School of Education helped students
navigate field experiences during these unique times.
The pandemic hit in the spring while apprentice teachers were in the middle of teaching field experiences, posing a variety of unexpected challenges.
"My Field Experience directors, Dr. Stephanie Mahfood and Tracey Brenner, were calming, fully informed and made the situation 'doable,' she said. "They were knowledgeable about every facet of the situation, and communicated regularly, observing best practices by moving among different platforms; WebEx, shared docs, personal emails, Canvas. They also communicated with our cooperating teachers.
Read the full interview on Medium here.
Dixon on SHRM Panel on Diversity
Trezette Dixon appeared on a special panel discussion on diversity, equity and inclusion hosted by the Society for Human
Resource Management, which was a deep-dive follow-up to the Aug. 19 session, "Diversity Despite Disruption."
Dixon is director of the internship program in the School of Communications.