Gustavus Adolphus College senior Caroline David was recently named the 2016 winner of the Donald G. Paterson Award in Psychology by the Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA).
The Paterson Award recognizes and encourages high achievement in psychology at the undergraduate level and is given to an outstanding college senior planning a career in psychology. Each college in Minnesota nominates one senior student for the award every year. David is the fifth Gustavus student to be honored with the Paterson Award by the MPA.
“Just being nominated for the award indicates excellence, as the requirements are high academic achievement, successful research experiences, acceptance into graduate programs, and research and academic awards,” Gustavus psychological science professor Marie Walker said. “The fact that Caroline won this award shows she has been recognized above and beyond her peers with similar accomplishments across Minnesota.”
With a father who teaches business and management classes at Baldwin Wallace University, David was familiar with liberal arts colleges and looked for a similar campus community. She chose Gustavus because she wanted a school where she could do undergraduate research, study science and religion, and also participate in the music program.
“Every semester, it was so difficult to select only four classes,” David said. “I have been fortunate to have my wide variety of interests encouraged, allowing me to take classes in philosophy, religion, neuroscience, French, music, and psychology.”
During her time at Gustavus she’s had success in multiple areas, serving as a research assistant in the Center for Developmental Science and the developmental neuroendocrinology lab, completing a summer of research at the University of Alabama, playing herald trumpet during the Christmas in Christ Chapel worship services, and taking part in the annual Building Bridges conference.
“Caroline is a fun student to teach — the kind of student professors are excited to have in class,” religion professor Sarah Ruble said. “She makes connections across disciplines, bringing into her religion courses, for example, insights from her classes in psychology. She does a great job integrating her experiences and asking insightful questions about them.”
A religion and honors psychological science double major, David will head to the University of Massachusetts Boston after graduation to pursue a doctorate in developmental and brain sciences. During her time in Boston, she will focus her research on behavioral neuroendocrinology in Dr. Jin Ho Park’s lab.
“Caroline is a mature, ambitious, creative, and highly intelligent young woman,” Gustavus psychological science professor Kayla De Lorme said. “She has played an essential role in setting up my neuroscience lab and has great potential for becoming a prolific, high-impact scientist and educator in psychological science.”
“Thanks to some incredible professors including Kayla De Lorme, Kyle Chambers, Patty Reeder, Sarah Ruble, and Laurent Dechery, I have learned to think critically, read, and write in many disciplines,” David said. “But most importantly, I am so appreciative of the relationships I have developed while at Gustavus.”
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