School Name:  Norfolk State University

Type of School:  4-year Public Historically Black College/University (HBCU); NSU offers undergraduate, masters and doctoral degree programs.

School locale:  Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Role:  I teach in-person, hybrid, and asynchronous online courses with in-person and online office hours.

How many years have you taught psychology?  I began teaching psychology as an Adjunct Instructor at NSU in the Fall of 2021, and have been teaching full-time since Fall of 2023.

Classes you teach:  Introduction to Psychology, Basic Principles of Psychology, Writing in Psychology, Military Psychology, Sport Psychology, Systems (History) of Psychology, Psychology Seminar (Senior Capstone), CyberPsychopathology.

Specialization:  Military Psychology, Sport Psychology

Average class size: 20-35 students each semester

What’s the best advice about teaching you’ve ever received?  

The best advice about teaching that I have received is to be myself and let the students see my passion for the field of psychology. At first as a new instructor, I was unsure about this advice. But as time went on, I see how being myself impacted the students and how my passion for psychology motivated and inspired students. I feel it is an honor to help develop future psychology clinicians and researchers and thoroughly enjoy my job.

Briefly tell us about your favorite lecture topic or course to teach.

My favorite course to teach is Military Psychology. I love to educate students on military culture, commonly seen diagnoses, and current therapy interventions. As a military veteran, I enjoy sharing ways in which future clinicians can best help this population.

What are 3 words that describe your teaching style?

Motivating, Flexible, Practical. I love to motivate students to be all that they can be in the psychology field. I think it is important to be flexible in teaching. Not all students/classes learn the same way, so I like to vary the course activities, so everyone has a chance to shine. And lastly, I like to show the practical application of our concepts in class so they can see how what they are learning will apply in their role in the field.

What’s your workspace like?  

I love my office! It has a floor-to-ceiling wall of windows and a large desk that has built-in shelves, and a bookcase. I try to keep a calm, inviting environment so it is pleasant for students as they visit for office hours.

What is something you are currently focused on improving:

Currently I am focused on AI to incorporate it in the classroom. I teach Writing in Psychology, and I feel it is important that students understand the pros and cons of AI before they enter the field. I want to make sure our students are as prepared as possible, so I set them up to succeed in their career.

What are you currently reading for pleasure?

I don’t really have time to read for pleasure, so it takes me awhile to get through a book, but right now I am reading The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt.