Kenya T. Malcolm, M.S.

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1. Where are you from originally? Where did you grow up?

Originally I was born in Louisiana. But I consider the Dallas area home. I grew up in Garland.

2. Where did you do your undergraduate work at and when did you get your degree?

I started higher education in a community college. Once I completed my associates degree and the basic course work, I went to the University of North Texas for a whole semester before moving to Arlington. There I completed my bachelor’s and masters degrees in psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington.

3. Who is your faculty mentor and what kind of projects did you work on with them?

I moved to Arkansas to work with Dr. Timothy Cavell. I was interested in continuing my research on victimization and aggression in children and adolescents but I also wanted to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. Currently, the lab is working on analyzing data from three waves of data that we collected from elementary schools in Springdale from kids, teachers, parents, and school counselors and principals.

4. What is your typical day like as a graduate student?

I don’t have a typical day as a graduate student. Between classes, clients, research and my children (I try to stay active at their school and am a girl scout leader) I could be anywhere at any given time. I also enjoy my role as student representative to a couple of organizations. The good thing about what I do (and being an advanced student) is that I get to have a lot of choice in my schedule.

5. Describe some of the work you've published or presented at conferences.

The easiest way to do that is to list some of my stuff on my vita. Here are some recent things:

Papers:

Newgent, R., & Malcolm, K.T., & Cavell, T.A. (in progress, July, 2006). Strategies and efficacy: How teachers counter peer victimization in the classroom.

Malcolm, K.T., Jensen- Campbell, L.A, Rex- Lear, M., & Waldrip, A. (in press, October, 2006). Divided We Fall: Children’s Friendships and Peer Victimization. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships.

Cavell, T.A., Hymel, S., Malcolm, K.T., & Seay, A.D. (in press, Fall 2006). Socialization and the development of antisocial behavior: Models and interventions. In J. Grusec, & P. Hastings (Eds.). The Handbook of Socialization.

Cavell, T.A., & Malcolm, K.T. (in press, Fall 2006). The anger and aggression relation. In T. A. Cavell, & K.T. Malcolm (Eds.). Anger, Aggression, and Interventions for Interpersonal Violence. Erlbaum.

Posters:

Malcolm, K.T., & Cavell, T.A. (2006, May). Can school-based mentoring alter the peer ecology of aggressive children? In K.T. Malcolm (Chair), Change processing in youth mentoring. Poster symposium conducted at the meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, San Antonio, Texas.

Seay, A.D., Malcolm, K.T., Elledge, L.C., Ogle, N., Cavell, T.A., & Newgent, R. (November, 2006). Science in the schools: Predicting peer victimization from teachers’s strategies. Poster session presented at the convention of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in Washington, DC.

Malcolm, K.T., Workman, K.A., Adams, R., & Jensen-Campbell, L.A. (2005, March). Peer Relations and Victimization: The Influence of Agreeableness.  Poster session presented at the biennial conference of the Society for Research in Child Development in Atlanta, Ga.

6. Why did you choose the U of A to do your graduate work?

The biggest draw for the U of A for me was the work that Dr. Cavell was doing and planning to do. He was also very open to helping his students publish and further their individual career interests. That being said, another great thing about the U of A is the funding. While I think that I would have chosen to come here without it, my fellowship has allowed me to focus on my training and get involved with things I wouldn’t otherwise be allowed to, like attending conferences.

7. What do you think of the U of A campus and the Fayetteville area?

I love it. The community is great and the people are genuinely friendly. There are also tons of family activities always going on and the public library is awesome.

8. What sorts of things do you do for fun?

Read scholarly articles, or course! I also enjoy down time with my family and the occasional nap.

9. What are some of your best experiences as a graduate student so far?

I know this sounds nerdy, but it was probably seeing the advertisement for the book on which I am an editor. I emailed it to my mom.

10. What sorts of research, teaching, and clinical experience does the UA program give you?

The training here is great. The generalist model of training gives you a wide foundation of knowledge about a lot of different things but the electives and directed readings are options that allow you to focus your training. Also, the training clinic is open to both students and community clients, so I get a lot of different experience right on campus. More importantly, I think, is that I have been able to take additional classes outside of the department to supplement my didactics and the external clerkships offer a wide range of choices.

11. What kinds of things are you working on right now?

Oh gosh. Right now, I am working on the submissions for the Society for Child Development because the deadline is next week. I am also working on my dissertation proposal and studying to take the licensure exam, which I plan to take before school starts back in a few weeks. I will also be applying for internship in the fall so my mind is always on that.

12. What are your plans for the future?

I hope to continue to conduct research that examines the impact that parents, other adults, and peers have on children’s developing social competence and adjustment. Additionally, I look forward to being in the role of mentor, trainer, provider and supervisor of direct clinical services for high-risk youth and their families. My career goals also include administration and consultation.

13. What advice would you give someone thinking of going to graduate school in psychology?

I would say that there is very little good advice given to undergraduate about the field of psychology and that there are TONS of options. I would also say that many PhD clinical programs have a heavy emphasis on research and you should genuinely be interested in it when you apply. There are better choices for you if you are solely interested in clinical service. And if you are interested in grad school and research you should get involved with it as early as you can as an undergrad.

14. Anything else you'd like to tell us about your time at the University of Arkansas?

I think that pretty much covers it.

Karen Naufel, M.A.

(See other graduate student profiles)

1. Where are you from originally? Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Oklahoma.

2. Where did you do your undergraduate work at and when did you get your degree?

I attended the University of Arkansas between 1999-2002.

3. Who is your faculty mentor and what kind of projects do you work on with them.

Dr. Beike is my faculty advisor.  We collaborate on projects that concern how people gain a sense of closure and how closure affects motivation and well-being.

4. What is your typical day like as a graduate student?

The great thing about graduate school is that events and things are always changing.  Thus, I don't think that days can be "typical."  This past year,  I would advise students and attend lab meetings in the mornings, then teach, conduct research, and go to lunch with the graduate students in the afternoon.  While the pattern of the day was the same,  each day would involve new things--new questions from students, new research ideas, new discussions in class, and new opportunities for collaboration.