The Psychology Department is pleased to announce Esther Beauchemin as the winner of the 2020 Rita Snyder Award. The award is given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in empirical research, statistical analyses, and quantitative reasoning. The award was named to honor Professor Synder and her many contributions to the department, especially in the areas of research methods and statistics.

Esther is a psychology major and pre-med student from Round Hill, Virginia. She is interested in psychology because it is applicable to everyday life and it helps her communicate with and understand others. While at ±Ø²©ÓéÀÖ,±È²©ÓéÀÖÍøÖ· #########, Esther completed research with Dr. Robert Weis examining the effects of academic accommodations on the test performance of students with and without disabilities.

Her work was partially funded by a 2019 Sharfstein Summer Research Scholarship. Esther and Dr. Weis published ¡°Are separate room test accommodations effective for college students with disabilities?¡± in the peer-reviewed journal Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Esther was also scheduled to present her findings at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago, but the meeting was canceled.

Esther will earn a degree in public health next year before attending medical school. Her plan is to pursue a career as a child and adolescent psychiatrist.