Central Washington University

Our Students

Graduate students are paired with faculty advisors and, eventually, with their faculty thesis chairs based upon shared interests in specific research areas.

	Our Fall 2022 Entering Graduate Students
	Mason Low Email: mason.low@cwu.edu Research interests: Dance and working memory Advisor: Dr. Ralf Greenwald Fun fact: I am a dancer with Orchesis Dance Company here at CWU
	Leah Marie McKinney Email: leah.mckinney@cwu.edu Research Interests: Negative effects of social media, racial invalidation, and potential inclusion exclusivity Advisor: Dr. Tonya Buchanan Fun fact: I love cuddling up to my dog with a book and playing Dead by Daylight with friends.
	Homa Sheibani Asl Email: homa.sheybaniasl@cwu.edu Research interests: Social Identity, Intergroup Relations, Marginalized Groups, Stereotyping, Prejudice Advisor: Dr. Tonya Buchanan Fun fact: As an international student in Central Washington University, I enjoy my life in Ellensburg. On-campus events are perfect opportunities for socializing, making new friends, and having fun. On the weekends, I spend time in the Japanese garden and walking downtown. In addition to reading about different areas of social psychology, I’m interested in drawing and especially fashion drawing.
	Leah Valverde Email: leah.valverde@cwu.edu Research interests: Organizational Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Regulation, Psychology of Music Advisor: Dr. Ralf Greenwald Fun fact: My favorite things are my family, porch sitting, card playing, and animal petting.

	Our Fall 2021 Entering Graduate Students
	Elisa LaRue Email: elise.larue@cwu.edu Research Interests: Autism spectrum disorder, neurodiversity, and gender variance. Advisor: Dr. Greenwald Fun fact: I have a cat, Clara, and I build keyboards as a hobby. These two do not mix well, but I persist.
	Malee Powell Email: malin.powell@cwu.edu Research interests: Chronic pain and how it interacts with social-emotional factors, healthcare equity, the health effects of human-animal interaction for both humans and canines, and canine cognition. Advisor: Dr. Mary Radeke Fun fact: I have a business massaging dogs, and I travel around providing massage, as well as training and competing in dog sports with my own dogs!
	Erica Steinberg Email: erica.steinberg@cwu.edu Research interests: Psychopharmacology; Cannabis Cues and their Effect on Social Anxiety Advisor: Dr. Kara Gabriel Fun fact: I love whitewater rafting and I've rafted down a 10 ft waterfall

	Our Fall 2020 Entering Graduate Students
	Jessica Allen Undergraduate Degree: Western Washington University Email: jessica.allen3@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Susan Lonborg
	Naomi Cady Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University Email: naomi.cady@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Ralf Greenwald
	Esmeralda Campos Undergraduate Degree: Carroll College Email: esmeralda.campos@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Mary Radeke
	Katie Trabun (Floyd) Undergraduate Degree: Eastern Washington University Email: katie.floyd@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Liane Pereira
	Becky Fromm Undergraduate Degree: University of Miami Email: becky.fromm@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Meaghan Nolte
	Marilyn Hohler Undergraduate Degree: Colby-Sawyer College Email: marilyn.hohler@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Tonya Buchanan
	Jeremy Simmons Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Email: jeremy.simmons@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Danielle Polage
	Tyler Ussery Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Email: tyler.ussery@cwu.edu Advisor: Dr. Ralf Greenwald

Our Fall 2019 Entering Graduate Students
	Courtney Aucoin Undergraduate Degree: University of North Carolina Email: courtney.aucoin@cwu.edu Graduate Thesis: The Effects of Human Observers on the Consistency of GBI Gorilla Personality Profiles and Behavior Thesis Chair: Dr. Megan Matheson
	Patrizia Chirco Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Email: patrizia.chirco@cwu.edu Graduate Thesis: The Immigrant in Our Head: Skin Tone, Social Categorization, and Support for Policy. Thesis Chair: Dr. Tonya Buchanan
	Monica Sewell Undergraduate Degree: Centenary College of Louisiana Email: monica.sewell@cwu.edu Graduate Thesis: Frontal Alpha Wave Asymmetry in Regard to Affect Thesis Chair: Dr. Ralf Greenwald

Our Fall 2018 Entering Graduate Students
	Mikayla Kimery (Dupré) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Email: mikayla.kimery@cwu.edu Graduate Thesis: Critically Evaluating Website Credibility: Website and Visual Factors that Influence Perceptions of Online Mental Health Information Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Kyle Klaassen Undergraduate Degree: Shasta Bible College Email: kyle.klaassen@cwu.edu Graduate Thesis: The Effects of Priming on Framing Bias: An Integrative Study Examining Morality Salience, Self-Affirmation, and Emotional Intelligence Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Elsa Rose Mastico Undergraduate Degree: Mass. College of Liberal Arts Graduate Thesis: Mood Effects on Reappraisal and Distraction Thesis Chair: Dr. Ralf Greenwald
	Molly Mortensen Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Forgive Them, Forgive Them Not: The Role of Remorse and Empathy in Interpersonal Forgiveness Thesis Chair: Dr. Mary Radeke

Our Fall 2017 Entering Graduate Students
	Viktoriya Broyan (Fall 2017) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Relaxing music effects on implicit racial bias and neural activity Thesis Chair: Dr. Ralf Greenwald Congrats to Viktoriya who is a Operations Manager and Research Project Manager at Ideal Balance in Kennewick, WA.
	Kayla-Ann Hemmings (Fall 2017) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Music, video, and perception: Fish and their natural habitat Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Anistasha Lightning (Winter 2018) Undergraduate Degree: Gonzaga University Graduate Thesis: An Examination of Locus of Control as It Relates to Repeat Incarceration in Juvenile Offenders Thesis Chair: Dr. Danielle Polage Congrats to Tasha who started a PhD program at the University of Lyon in France in Fall 2020.
	Jonathan Ojeda (Fall 2017) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: A book and its cover: The effects of dynamic and static facial expressions on the perception of personality traits Thesis Chair: Dr. Mary Radeke
	Sydney Wirkkala (Fall 2017) Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University Graduate Thesis: The effects of self-esteem and mood on the perception of others Thesis Chair: Dr. Mary Radeke

Our Fall 2016 Entering Graduate Students
	Briana Bratcher (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: North Carolina State University Graduate Thesis: Gender Differences in Task Switching: An Event Related Potential Study Thesis Chair: Dr. Ralf Greenwald
	Elijah Bruner (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Brandeis University Graduate Thesis: Confidence in academic testing: The effect of induced checking and anxiety on university students’ emotional responses to, and performance in, academic challenge Thesis Chair: Dr. Tonya Buchanan
	Matthew Christiansen (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Southern Utah University Graduate Thesis: The effects of moral message framing on political ideology Thesis Chair: Dr. Tonya Buchanan
	Mike Clark (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Colorado Mesa University Graduate Thesis: Development of the Clark and Becker Scale of Symptomatology (CBS): Symptom-level item performance Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg
	Erik Ekberg (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University Graduate Thesis: Evaluation of paper test strategies on computer-administered tests: The impact of item response marking on test performance Thesis Chair: Dr. Tonya Buchanan
	Hallie Ervin (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Western Washington University Graduate Thesis: High-functioning college students with autism spectrum disorder and art therapy: A study on stress reduction Thesis Chair: Dr. Fred Washburn
	Meghan Gilbert (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Advisor: Dr. Fred Washburn
	Scott Lehrman (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University Advisor: Dr. Anthony Stahelski
	Danielle Peecher (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Winona State University Graduate Thesis: Modeling the psychiatric aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome and induced stress Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Rebecca Rose (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Idaho State University Graduate Thesis: Evaluation of wildland firefighter leadership Thesis Chair: Dr. Anthony Stahelski
	Marianna (Anna) Wendt (Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Drury University Graduate Thesis: Attitudes toward anonymous public nudes. Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg

Our Spring 2015 and Fall 2015 Entering Graduate Students
	Ross Cook (Fall 2015 - Fall 2017) Undergraduate Degree: California State University-Fullerton Graduate Thesis: Uncertainty's impact on perceptions toward randomness Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Sky Corby (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017) Undergraduate Degree: University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Graduate Thesis: Musical mnemonic devices or method of loci: Which promotes higher recall of concrete and abstract words Thesis Chair: Dr. Mary Radeke
	Wyatt Frahm (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017) Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington-Tacoma Graduate Thesis: Cognitive Bias in Marijuana and Alcohol Users Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Jonathan Ingram (Returned Fall 2015 to finish thesis!) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Online Usage Among College Students: A Comparison of Online Gaming and Facebook Users Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg
	Carolina (Kina) Montenegro (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017) Undergraduate Degree: Binghamton University Graduate Thesis: Behavioral Differences between Rural and Urban American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel Kina started a PhD program at the University of Alberta in Fall 2017. Congrats, Kina!
	Sarah North Wolfe (Spring 2015 - Spring 2017) Undergraduate Degree: Western Washington University Graduate Thesis: Effects of a growth mindset intervention on first-year college students. Thesis Chair: Dr. Heath Marrs
	Janine Swiney (Spring 2015 - Spring 2017) Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington Graduate Thesis: A Cultural Comparison of the Facial Inference Process Thesis Chair: Dr. Anthony Stahelski Janine started a research associate position at Joint-Base Lewis McCord with the Walter Reid Army Institute of Research in Winter 2018. Congrats, Janine!

Our Fall 2014 Entering Graduate Students
	Jonathan Clinkenbeard (Fall 2014-Spring 2016) Undergraduate Degree: CSU-San Bernardino Graduate Thesis: Differences in College Students' Attitudes Toward LGBT and Heterosexual Homeless Youths Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg
	Gina DeNoble (Fall 2014-Fall 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Northern Arizona University Graduate Thesis: Effect of Prior Trauma Exposure on Alpha Amplitude, Heart Rate, and Self-Reported Negative Affect Following Negative Affective Stimulation and Subsequent Stress Reduction Interventions Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg As of June 2016, Gina is a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in June 2016! Congrats!
	Karlie Hill (Fall 2014-Ongoing) Undergraduate Degree: Trinity Lutheran College Graduate Thesis: Effects of Illness Type and Empathy Induction on Illness-Related Stigma in Undergraduate Populations Thesis Co-Chairs: Dr. Sara Bender and Dr. Kara Gabriel As of September 2016, Karlie is an Admissions Counselor at Central Washington University. Congrats, Karlie!!
	Sydney Jensen (Fall 2014-Summer 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Measuring Self-Reported Exercise, Motivation to Exercise, and Sexism in Women Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg
	Jenna Shrewsbury (Fall 2014-Ongoing) Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington-Seattle Graduate Thesis: Examining the Role of Mindfulness and Emotion in Decision-Making Tasks: Differences in Intuition and Risk-Taking Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara I. Gabriel

Our 2013-2014 Entering Graduate Students
	Laura Attaway (Fall 2013-Summer 2015) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Exercise Motivations of Older Adults Thesis Chair: Dr. Jeffrey Penick
	Colleen Falconer (Fall 2013-Current) Undergraduate Degree: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Graduate Thesis: Domestic Dog Play Pant and Its Relation to Play Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg As of September 2015, Colleen is a Program Coordinator for the College of the Sciences at CWU. Congrats, Colleen!
	Michael McDonald (Fall 2013-Spring 2014) Undergraduate Degree: University of Arkansas Graduate Thesis: Priming the Data: Examining Self-Potentiation in a Word Fragment Completion Task Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg Michael started in the PhD program in psychology at the University of Washington in Fall 2014.
	Travis Pyle (Fall 2013 - Fall 2015) Undergraduate Degree: Washington State University-Vancouver Graduate Thesis: The Effects of Feedback Sequence on Cognitive Performance Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel Travis started in a PhD program at the University of Montana in Fall 2017. Congrats, Travis!
	Benjamin Richardson (Fall 2013 - Summer 2015) Undergraduate Degree: Western Washington University Graduate Thesis: Electrophysiological and Behavioral Working Memory Differences Between Musician and Non-Musicians Thesis Chair: Dr. Ralf Greenwald As of Summer 2016, Benjamin is a Research Analyst for Institutional Effectiveness at CWU. Congrats, Ben!
	Daina Wierzbinski (Fall 2013 - Summer 2016) Undergraduate Degree: Georgia Southern University Graduate Thesis: Mate Selection Comparisons in Heterosexual and Homosexual Individuals Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel

Our 2012-2013 Entering Graduate Students
	Megan McCulley (Winter 2013 to Summer 2014) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Behavioral Skills Training for Teaching Assertiveness in Condom Insistence. Thesis Chair: Dr. Sadie Lovett
	Anna Chester (Fall 2012 to Spring 2014) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Factors that Influence the Stigma Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Derek Ellis (Fall 2012 to Spring 2014) Undergraduate Degree: Eastern Washington University Graduate Thesis: Level P300: An ERP and Working Memory Evaluation of Gamers and Non-gamers. Thesis Chair: Dr. Ralf Greenwald Congrats to Derek who started in the PhD program at the University of Arizona in Fall 2016!
	Carolyn Petersen (Fall 2012 - Ongoing) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: The Effects of Victim Sex and Perpetrator Sex in Crime Severity Assessment. Thesis Chair: Dr. Marte Fallshore
	Kyle Williams (Fall 2012 to Spring 2014) Undergraduate Degree: Trinity Lutheran Graduate Thesis: Continuity of Measures of Implicit Racism and Behavior in Real World Scenarios. Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel

Our 2011-2012 Entering Graduate Students
	Rosalind Chaffee (Fall 2011 to Spring 2014) Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: The Effect of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid in a Mouse Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Thesis Chair: Dr. Kara Gabriel
	Ginnie Hershbarger (Fall 2011 to Spring 2013) Graduate Thesis: The Efficacy of a Timeout Treatment for Aggressive Dogs. Thesis Chair: Dr. Wendy Williams Ginnie started in the PhD program in Psychology at Arizona State University in Fall 2013.
	Alexander Kohorst (Fall 2011 to Spring 2013) Graduate Thesis: Fading and Stimulus Transfer Across Receptive Modalities in Columbia livia. Thesis Chair: Dr. Terry DeVietti Alex started teaching at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, WA in Fall 2013.
	Timothy Lyons (Fall 2011 to Spring 2012) Graduate Thesis: Perceptions of the Experiences of LGBT Individuals at a Northwest Rural State University. Thesis Chair: Dr. Susan Lonborg Tim started in the PhD program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Memphis in Fall 2012.
	Katie Weigt Taylor (Fall 2011 to Spring 2013). Undergraduate Degree: Central Washington University Graduate Thesis: Human Development and the School Nutrition Environment. Thesis Chair: Dr. Steve Schepman Katie began a job with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services at Rainier School, a habilitation center for individuals with developmental disabilities, in Fall 2013.

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