2025 Psychology Award Winners
In May 2025, the College of Health, Science and Technology conferred awards to graduating seniors for their outstanding contributions to CHST departments. The department faculty selected the awards that would be given to the students. In the Psychology Department, the following awards were given to our graduating seniors:
Madison Steines was selected as Psychology Department Student Marshal. The Psychology Graduation Marshal leads students in the processional for graduation and epitomizes the values and goals of the department. At UIS, Madison was the Treasurer and Social Media Coordinator for the Psychology Club, a Resident and Student Marketing Assistant for ResLife, and worked in the Learning Hub as a Writing Tutor. After graduation, she will be working as an Ophthalmic Assistant where she will use knowledge and skills from her psychology degree to help individuals in different fields of medical assistance.
Grace Lehmann received an award for Outstanding Research. has worked with Dr. Hypatia Bolívar on research
related to addictive behaviors. She was an assistant for Dr. Bolívar's study that investigated the perceptions of oral smokeless nicotine products among tobacco and nicotine users and they presented results from this study at the 2025 Midwestern Psychological Association Conference. Grace is currently analyzing the data from her own study that examined stigma against a hypothetical man or woman sports bettor.
Michaela Walczer received an award for Outstanding Scholar. Michaela has worked with Dr. Abigail Kroke on two research studies. The first examined name matching bias on characteristics like perceived attractiveness and intellectual competence. The second study will investigate the relationship between machismo and willingness to vote for or support a political candidate who is a woman. Michaela was also the student representative for the Psychology Department’s Diversity, Inclusion, & Social Justice (DISJ) Committee.
Congratulations to Madison, Grace, and Michaela!