Erika Schmitt

Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Committee: Daniel Hajovsky, PhD, LP, NCSP (Chair), Idean Ettekal, PhD, Wen Luo, PhD, & Holly Foster, PhD

Dissertation Title: Risk and Protective Factors of Bias-Based Bullying and Hate Speech Victimization of Adolescent Black Females

Department of Psychology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan

Advisor: Amy Matthews, PhD, LP, BCBA

Master's Project Title: Class Dojo Program Evaluation

Department of Psychology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan

Spanish Language and Culture Semester Abroad at the University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain

• Taught to up to 22 undergraduates per semester, achieving a 100% pass rate.
• Delivered a 15-week, first-year experience seminar course, Hullabaloo University (FYEX101) for two consecutive years.
• Supervised peer mentors.
• Developed syllabus, planned lessons on topics such as Respect & Inclusion, Healthy Relationships, and the Eight Dimensions of Wellness; graded assignments and assigned final grades.
• Increased the end-of-course student evaluation response rate from 33% to 91%, leveraging feedback to improve instruction.
• Improved or maintained positive ratings in various evaluation categories from one year to the next. Students consistently agreed that: they understood what was expected of them, the instructor fostered an effective learning environment, and the instructor encouraged students to take responsibility for their own learning.
• Reason for Departure: Taught first semester, was invited to teach again, and then completed second semester

• Provided one-on-one tutoring for undergraduate students in General Psychology (PSYC201), Beginning Algebra (MATH040), Intermediate Algebra (MATH050), Basic Concepts of Philosophy (PHIL101) and Western Civilization to 1500 (HIST101).
• Reason for Departure: Transferred to Grand Valley State University

• Facilitated monthly peer group supervision for four professional psychology pre-doctoral interns.
• Performed formal site supervision twice per week in English and Spanish to one Master's of Social Work advanced practicum student in the pediatric outpatient behavioral therapy clinic.
• Reason for Departure: All students completed training and entered gainful employment in the field

• Mentored two first- and second-year students in the School Psychology PhD program.
• Conducted monthly virtual meetings and answered emails to address mentees' academic and professional questions.
• Tailored mentorship approach to meet the needs and goals of each student, providing personalized guidance and resources.
• Reason for Departure: Both students advanced to the next year in the program

• Engaged in semester-long practicum as part of 3-credit Supervision Seminar and Field Experience course (SPSY683E).
• Provided virtual, face-to-face supervision to two professional teachers enrolled in the Master's in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in School Counseling online program.
• Gave individualized feedback on counseling micro-skills using a solution-focused, behavioral approach.
• Reason for Departure: Both students completed the course

• Guided Brazilian Opportunity Funds mentee in the graduate student application process, providing support that resulted in acceptance into multiple fully funded Master's programs in education policy in the United States.
• Arranged in-person and distance advising sessions to assist mentee in researching programs, improving English language skills, and editing application materials to align with United States norms and effectively present applicant achievements.
• Maintained clear communication in English and in Portuguese as needed. Addressed concerns and questions promptly. Provided ongoing support throughout the application process.
• Reason for Departure: Mentee entered and graduated from a Master's program at Teachers College, Columbia University

Collaborators: Alison DeLizza, PhD, LP, Hanna Grandgenett, PhD, LP & Megan Leamon, PhD, LP

• Conducting a systematic literature review in order to advance research on under-researched clinical populations.
• Concentrating on the intersection of neurodiverse and gender-diverse identities to address gaps in the existing literature.

Supervisors: Daniel Hajovsky, PhD, Sara Castro Olivo, PhD, Kirsten Newell, PhD, & Jamilia Blake, PhD

• Contributed to four labs in the School Psychology Doctoral Program at Texas A&M University: Academic, Behavior, and Cognitive Assessment in Schools (ABaCAS) Lab, Facilitating Universal Emotional Resiliency for Social and Academic Success (FUERSAS) Lab, Improved Outcomes Through Assessment (IOTA) Lab, and Peer Relations & Adjustment Lab (PRAL).
• Administered literacy and vocabulary screening tools in Spanish via teleassessment to third through fifth-grade students, ensuring accurate data collection and protocol analysis.
• Edited content for the development of new research instruments.
• Submitted Institutional Review Board applications to ensure ethical compliance and approval for research activities.
• Led 'Graduate Student Experiences of Teleassessments with Bilingual Learners During a Pandemic' study (see Conference Presentations).
• Reason for Departure: Began internship

Supervisor: Rajeeb Das, PhD

• Researched 11 high-impact practices in higher education.
• Wrote SAS code, literature reviews, abstracts, and analysis summaries. Edited texts.
• Prepared research for publication and presentation to internal and external audiences (see Publications & Manuscripts and Conference Presentations).
• Reason for Departure: Began teaching

Supervisor: Amy Matthews, PhD, LP, BCBA

• Conducted comprehensive research on autism-related issues and student-teacher interactions in Pre-Kindergarten special education classrooms, aiming to enhance learning outcomes for students with and without autism.
• Recorded, documented and interpreted observational data on opportunities to respond.
• Provided structured support to autistic undergraduate students through the Campus Links program, reinforcing social and study skills.
• Reason for Departure: Began internship

Supervisor: Robert Deaner, PhD

• Analyzed the relationship between country gender inequality and Olympic performance, examining correlational data on policies such as Title IX.
• Discovered a positive correlation between gender equality-focused policies and higher Olympic medal counts.
• Strengthened research design by collecting archival public data and sourcing private datasets for cross-referencing, including contacting and collaborating with private data owners to secure access.
• Cultivated knowledge in quantitative methods.
• Co-authored journal article and presented poster (see Publications & Manuscripts and Conference Presentations).
• Reason for Departure: Completed project

Supervisor: Sherri DeBoef Chandler, PhD

• Carried out research on community college student motivation and academic performance within a two-credit Research Practicum course (PSYC297RE).
• Coded and cleaned data. Applied mixed methods research.
• Co-presented seminar (see Conference Presentations).
• Reason for Departure: Completed project

• Attended monthly student and faculty meetings, facilitating communication between students and faculty.
• Maintained clear and concise communication with cohort members and across cohorts to address concerns and promote progress within the program.

• Disseminated campus visit and interview day information.
• Welcomed prospective students as a "buddy" in the buddy system tradition and as a student panelist on interview day.
• Maintained clear communication with prospective students, ensuring they had all requested information throughout the recruitment process.

• Selected to judge and give feedback to 12 undergraduate psychology poster presentations as an area expert in 2022.
• Selected to judge and give feedback to 20 undergraduate psychology poster presentations as an area expert in 2021.

• Supervised and guided 23 students in sixth through eighth grade during Super STAT-urday event.
• Supported students and assisted faculty during statistical learning sessions.

• Volunteer remotely, part-time, furthering the Peace Corps mission to promote world peace, friendship, and mutual understanding between nations.
• Co-design four 2-hour teacher training live sessions focused on inclusive education strategies, including differentiated instruction, and assessment tools.
• Conduct two 1.5-hour professional development workshops per month to train teachers and administrators on applying inclusive education practices in the classroom.
• Offer weekly 1-hour virtual mentorship and support to teachers implementing inclusive strategies.
• Review progress with the Special Education Unit, gather feedback and make necessary adjustments to the training content or delivery.

• Planned and team-taught lessons in Spanish with lead teacher. Instructed lessons alone in lead teacher's absence.
• Assisted local adult students during weekly two hour preparatory spring semester courses for United States citizenship. Taught online during the pandemic and in-person beginning in 2023.

• Returned to former employer for one month to do pro bono evaluations to support the psychology team during a staff shortage in a high-needs district.

• Co-taught literature topics and social issues, such as bullying and empathy, to a class of 50 fifth-grade students on a weekly basis.
• Fostered confidence and creativity by engaging students in reading books and writing short stories.
  
• Facilitated active participation and discussion to promote critical thinking and enhance students' understanding of the topics.
• Answered questions about United States culture and English as the first North American students had met.
  

• Appointed to board member position of Secretary. Kept meeting minutes and organizational records.
  
• Promoted cultural celebrations, healthy living, and educational opportunities in the local Latino community.
  
• Fundraised and volunteered at events including the Day of the Dead 5K, Fourth of July Parade, and Latino Veterans Appreciation Day.
• Chaperoned Latina high school students during Michigan State University campus visit in order to explore academic and career pathways and attend the Annual Día de la Mujer [Day of the Woman] Conference.

• Founded the only Tandem Program conversational language exchange in a 40 mile radius.
• Paired English learners with English speakers to form mutual partnerships of language learning and cultural exchange.
• Expanded the non-profit organization's reach and established partnership with Muskegon Community College.

• Volunteered remotely, full-time, assisting board of directors with all administrative tasks for members across the United States.
• Devoted efforts and initiatives to eliminating health disparities and addressing health-related issues.
• Coordinated meetings, managed databases, edited documents, and maintained social media platforms.
• Completed 3-credit VISTA Blend Courses: Fundraising & Grant Writing (RESDEV306) and Volunteer Mobilization (VOLMOB201).
• Co-coordinated the annual national conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

• Volunteered weekly for local non-profit organization tutoring adult English learners one-on-one.
• Employed the Laubach Way to Reading and Oxford Picture Dictionary methods to effectively teach English language skills and improve literacy levels.
• Provided information in English and Spanish to help tutees navigate United States culture, workplaces, and school systems.

• Volunteered weekly in two first grade classrooms.
• Executed one-on-one guided reading intervention to increase students' Fountas & Pinnell reading levels.