Vocational Psychology Research Team
Directed by Emily Bullock Yowell, Ph.D.
Vocational Psychology Research Team Mission: Work together to support the research of individuals and team projects while concentrating on research that can be directly applied to the public to aid in individuals' career and personal development.
Vocational Psychology Reserach Team-2011-2012 Pictured Left to Right: Front row-Kari Leavell, Amy McConnell, Emily Schedin, Emily Bullock Yowell. Second Row-Cara Wells, Kristen Freeman, Lauren Osborne, Mandy Rushing, Mike Campbell. Not pictured: Lindsay Andrews
The Vocational Psychology Research Team at USM engages in a variety of projects focused on career interests, career assessment, career decision making, career thinking & self efficacy, career & spirituality, and career development of under-research or marginalized populations. This is accomplished through individual projects (e.g., theses, dissertation, master's projects) and team research projects. To learn more about our research team members, recent & ongoing projects, and recent conference presentations visit the pages below.
Research Team Members
Lindsay Andrews
Lindsay is a 5th year Counseling Psychology doctoral student originally from Mukwonago, WI. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 2005 and her M.A. from USM. Lindsay has 4 journal article publications and 9 presentations at either state, regional, or national conferences. She is currently beginning the data analysis for her dissertation, Career decision status, career-related thinking, and emotional distress: A structural equation model.
Kari Leavell
Kari is a 4th year Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student from College Station, Texas. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 2006, and her M.A. in Psychology from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2010. Her thesis is currently in press, entitled: The Lived Coping Experiences of South Mississippi and New Orleans Clergy After Hurricane Katrina. Kari has 3 journal article publications and 6 presentations between state, regional, and national conferences. She is currently working to collect data for her dissertation, The Predictors of Calling and the Role of Career Satisfaction. This project will employ Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to clarify possible predictors of calling and their relatedness to job satisfaction in working adults.
Amy McConnell
Amy is a Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student from Mobile, Alabama. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Auburn University in 2006 and her Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2009. Amy recently submitted her master’s project for publication, entitled: What are the struggles of undecided college students? The career concerns of decided and undecided students. She also presented this research at the National Career Development Association conference in San Antonio. Currently, she is working to get her dissertation underway.
Emily Schedin
Emily is a first year graduate student in the Counseling Psychology PhD program. Originally from the Twin Cities, Minnesota, Emily completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a major in Psychology and a minor in Music. Emily is in the early development stage of her thesis but plans to evaluate the differences in Life Role Salience across ethnicity and religiosity within the undergraduate population at USM as well as the effects these differences may have on Career Decision Making.
Lauren Osborne
Lauren is a 2nd year Counseling Psychology Master's student originally from High Point, NC. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. Lauren has completed her master's project and has submitted her manuscript, Career development of participants in Army Reserve Officer Training Corps: Does ROTC participation stabilize your career path? to the NACADA journal. She also recently presented her project's data as a poster at the 2011 SVP Conference in Boston, MA.
Amanda Rushing
Mandy is a 2nd year Counseling Psychology Master's Student originally from Bogalusa, Louisiana. Mandy graduated magna cum laude from the University Of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Biological Sciences in 2009. She also earned a Psychology degree from USM in 2010. She was the project coordinator for Phase 3 of our recently completed team project at the WIN Job Center.
Michael Campbell
Michael is a 2nd year Counseling Psychology Masters Student. He is originally from Katy, Tx and obtained his B.A. at Texas Lutheran University. He has completed the data collection and entry phase for his project on goal instability in a sample of college students enrolled in a career development course. He will be presenting on his findings at the SouthEastern Psychological Association conference in New Orleans next fall.
Kristen Freeman
Kristen is a first year student in the Counseling Psychology Masters program. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Kristen completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Missouri graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Biology. Kristen is currently developing her Masters project and hopes to look at the affects of anticipated expectations self-direction at work on values of self-direction and on sex-role attitudes.
Cara Wells
Cara is a USM undergraduate psychology major originally from Mandeville, LA. She is collecting data for her honors thesis exploring career calling and work motivation with traditional and non-traditional college students.
Lindsay is a 5th year Counseling Psychology doctoral student originally from Mukwonago, WI. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 2005 and her M.A. from USM. Lindsay has 4 journal article publications and 9 presentations at either state, regional, or national conferences. She is currently beginning the data analysis for her dissertation, Career decision status, career-related thinking, and emotional distress: A structural equation model.
Kari Leavell
Kari is a 4th year Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student from College Station, Texas. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 2006, and her M.A. in Psychology from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2010. Her thesis is currently in press, entitled: The Lived Coping Experiences of South Mississippi and New Orleans Clergy After Hurricane Katrina. Kari has 3 journal article publications and 6 presentations between state, regional, and national conferences. She is currently working to collect data for her dissertation, The Predictors of Calling and the Role of Career Satisfaction. This project will employ Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to clarify possible predictors of calling and their relatedness to job satisfaction in working adults.
Amy McConnell
Amy is a Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student from Mobile, Alabama. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Auburn University in 2006 and her Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2009. Amy recently submitted her master’s project for publication, entitled: What are the struggles of undecided college students? The career concerns of decided and undecided students. She also presented this research at the National Career Development Association conference in San Antonio. Currently, she is working to get her dissertation underway.
Emily Schedin
Emily is a first year graduate student in the Counseling Psychology PhD program. Originally from the Twin Cities, Minnesota, Emily completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a major in Psychology and a minor in Music. Emily is in the early development stage of her thesis but plans to evaluate the differences in Life Role Salience across ethnicity and religiosity within the undergraduate population at USM as well as the effects these differences may have on Career Decision Making.
Lauren Osborne
Lauren is a 2nd year Counseling Psychology Master's student originally from High Point, NC. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. Lauren has completed her master's project and has submitted her manuscript, Career development of participants in Army Reserve Officer Training Corps: Does ROTC participation stabilize your career path? to the NACADA journal. She also recently presented her project's data as a poster at the 2011 SVP Conference in Boston, MA.
Amanda Rushing
Mandy is a 2nd year Counseling Psychology Master's Student originally from Bogalusa, Louisiana. Mandy graduated magna cum laude from the University Of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Biological Sciences in 2009. She also earned a Psychology degree from USM in 2010. She was the project coordinator for Phase 3 of our recently completed team project at the WIN Job Center.
Michael Campbell
Michael is a 2nd year Counseling Psychology Masters Student. He is originally from Katy, Tx and obtained his B.A. at Texas Lutheran University. He has completed the data collection and entry phase for his project on goal instability in a sample of college students enrolled in a career development course. He will be presenting on his findings at the SouthEastern Psychological Association conference in New Orleans next fall.
Kristen Freeman
Kristen is a first year student in the Counseling Psychology Masters program. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Kristen completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Missouri graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Biology. Kristen is currently developing her Masters project and hopes to look at the affects of anticipated expectations self-direction at work on values of self-direction and on sex-role attitudes.
Cara Wells
Cara is a USM undergraduate psychology major originally from Mandeville, LA. She is collecting data for her honors thesis exploring career calling and work motivation with traditional and non-traditional college students.
Voc Psych Research Team 2010-2011: Pictured left to right: Lauren Osborne, Emily Bullock Yowell, Kari Leavell, Lindsay Andrews, Amy McConnell, Mandy Rushing, LaMonica May, Micheal Campbell, and Cara Wells (not pictured)
Research-home page
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Recent & Ongoing Research Projects
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Recent Conference & Presentation Information
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