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Internships & Research

Research opportunities provide valuable practical experience. Whether the research is conducted as your own independent project or working as a research assistant in one of our faculty's research programs, you will learn skills to be successful in life. Research experience is extremely valuable if you intend to pursue advanced study after graduating from Coe, but it also is valuable if you wish to begin a career immediately upon graduation. You will sharpen your critical thinking skills by learning to formulate a problem; define variables; collect, analyze and interpret data; and communicate your findings to others. Communication skills are important in today's world, and you’ll have numerous opportunities to present your research findings. On-campus opportunities include the Coe College Student Research Symposium and the Psychology Research Symposium sponsored by the Coe Psychology Club. Additionally, Coe students have regular opportunities to present their research at regional undergraduate conferences and national professional conferences.

Recent Student/Faculty Research Projects

*Faculty
** UnityPoint Health, St. Luke’s Hospital
*** University of Iowa

2022-23

  • Do Members of Honor Cultures Decisionally Forgive Less than Members of Dignity Cultures Based on Gender Expectations?
    • Lily Andrews, Rae Anstett, & Vanessa Castillo*
  • Can Petting an ESA Reduce a Person's Heart Rate?
    • Cecelia Kintoph & Mike Baker*
  • Does Target Abstraction Affect Pedestrian Gap Interception in Virtual Environments?
    • Emma Rieser, Andrew Sloth, & Ben Chihak*
  • Does Affirming Values Reduce Stereotype Threat for Women?
    • Lauren Beer, Ellen Lee*
  • Effectiveness of Career Development Courses in Psychology.
    • Gabrielle Buckridge, Julia Lemke, & Samantha Brown*
  • The Proposed Benefits of Constriction Across a Different Context.
    • Logan Mathis, Sofia Garcia, & Ellen Lee*
  • Nurses' Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Pain Management.
    • Brianna Becher & Benjamin Tallman**
  • ADHD and the Need for Cognition: A Correlational Study.
    • Berrigan Cadogan & Ellen Lee*
  • Nurses' Perceptions about ChatGPT in Healthcare
    • Shamiso Zindoga, Jeannie Thao, Rose Hedges DNP**, & Benjamin Tallman**

2021-22

  • Predictors of Work Study Participation and Continuation.
    • Kandice Kittinger, Lewis Robinson, & Sara Farrell*
  • Race, Sociocultural Attitudes about Appearance, and Intuitive Eating.
    • Kathryn Holbrook & Scout Kelly*
  • Growing Words Project.
    • Shion Kabasele, Kara Recker*, & Bob McMurray***
  • Living a Calling:  The Role of Perfectionism and Burnout in Teachers.
    • Lauren Beer, Katyi Schuler, & Samantha Brown*
  • Piloting a Study on Individual & Social Reflective Planning for Exercise.
    • Lirio Romero, Ruben Carmargo, & Scout Kelly*
  • Does Realism Affect Pedestrian Road-Crossing Behavior in Virtual Environments?
    • Anna Bagaric, Brianna Becher, Katya Richter, & Ben Chihak*
  • Anticipating Pain: A Look into Temporal Comparisons of Patients with Chronic Pain.
    • Caroline Strauel, Cass Button, & Benjamin Tallman**
  • Academic Flow Experiences
    • Taylor Flinn & Ellen Lee*

2020-21

  • Exercise Procrastination and Next Day Intention-Behavior Gaps.
    • Caroline Strauel & Scout Kelly*
  • Piloting a Planning Intervention for Exercise Procrastination.
    • Alfredo Garcia, Katie Mason & Scout Kelly*
  • Implementation of a Therapeutic Virtual Reality Intervention for Pain Management in an Acute Care Hospital Setting.
    • Joslyn Reiche, Cooper Dodd, Jamie Bordwell, Janek Juarez & Benjamin Tallman**
  • A Longitudinal Study Examining Language Development in Children.
    • Shion Kabasele, Abigail Swanson, Kara Recker* & Bob McMurray***
  • Temperament and Disgust in Romantic Relationships.
    • Dana Clements, Katherine Barnes & Ellen Lee*
  • Factors Affecting Pedestrian Road-Crossing on College Campuses.
    • Rachel Keyes & Ben Chihak*
  • Teacher Evaluation of a Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum for 9th Graders.
    • Everett Goist, Nicholas Sohm, Anushree Dhawan & Samantha Brown*

2019-20

  • Exercise Procrastination and Daily Exercise Goals.
    • Grady Rudsell & Scout Kelly*
  • Assessing Factors Related to College Student Resiliency.
    • Elizabeth Koshakta, Haylee Cloutier, Jaelynn Smith-Harmon & Samantha Brown*
  • Evaluating Vocational and Professional Development in a Psychology Course.
    • Robert Stills, Carlyn Cole, Samantha Brown* & Renee Penalver*
  • Career and College Clubs (CCC) Curriculum Implementation Study: Analysis of Units Aggregate Report.
    • Anushree Dhawan, Kathryn Mason, & Samantha Brown* (in collaboration with ACT)
  • Psychological Benefits Associated with Walking Outdoors: Personal and Contextual Factors.
    • Jasmine Barlow, Sydney DeMicheal, Katlyn Downs & Sara Farrell*
  • Spending Time in Nature: Cognitive and Emotional Benefits.
    • Caroline Strauel, Elizabeth Condon & Sara Farrell*

2018-19

  • I’ll Work Out Tomorrow: The Exercise Procrastination  Scale. 
    • Hayley Walton & Scout Kelly* 
  • Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) Following an  Elective Orthopedic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled  Trial (RCT).  
    • Paige Nelson, Cody Leach, Carrie Van Houten*, Kristen  McVay**, Janice Kriegel**, Sandeep Munjal** & Benjamin Tallman* 
  • Perceptual-motor control strategies used by  pedestrians crossing bicycle traffic in virtual environments. 
    • Jamie Bordwell, Kristjan Nixon, Kei Yoshida, Ben Chihak* 
  • Predicting Workplace Transition Quality: The role of  self-compassion, learning goal orientation, and  conformity to masculine norms. 
    • Keenan Lee, Jeremy Lewis, Griffin Clark, Nadine Qadoura, Samantha Brown* & Sara Farrell* 
  • Engineering Health Care’s New Reality: Finding Creative  Solutions to Mold Hospital Standards. 
    • Hayley Walton, Allie Rausch, Wenxia Sweeney, Benjamin Tallman*, Rose Hedges**, April Golwitzer**, Nikolas Albarran**, Lynn Nakad** 
  • Stereotypes of Gender Non-Binary Individuals.
    • Anita Wong, Elena Pashas, & Megan McCarty*
  • Preparation for movement: How pedestrians approach  intersections in virtual environments.
    • Dante Fields, Gagandeep Singh & Ben Chihak* 
  • The Effects of Word Frequency and Language Status on  Source Memory
    • SaCora Fisher, Erica Ernzen, Sam Collins, Mia Resa & Renee Penalver* 
  • Changing the way we assess and treat pain: A Cultural Shift.
    • Allie Rausch, Hayley Walton, Wenxia Sweeney, Paige Nelson, April Golwitzer**, Benjamin Tallman* 
  • Potential Bias Towards Non-Binary Individuals.
    • Sabrina Davis & Megan McCarty*  
  • The Future of Healthcare: Assessing Nurses’ Perceptions of  Utilizing Innovative Technology on Hospital Units. 
    • Wenxia Sweeney, Hayley Walton, Allie Rausch, Lynn Nakad**, April Golwitzer** & Benjamin Tallman* 
  • The Role of Exercise Procrastination in Daily Physical Activity Choices 
    • Anita Wong, Erica Coxhead, Rebecca Magolan, Natalie Zutter, Kim Schaeffer, Jaclyn Pecille & Scout Kelly* 

2017-18

  • Pedestrian Safety when Crossing a Bicycle Path in a Virtual Environment.  
    • Jamie Bordwell, Brody Stanford, Ben Chihak*
  • Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) Following an Elective Orthopedic Surgery and the Implementation of Research into Clinical Practice.
    • Megan Peterson, Cody Leach, Sonja Peterson, Carrie Van Houten, MHA, BSN, RN, Benjamim Tallman*
  • Memory Access in Creative Thinking and Categorization.
    • Claire Tollefsrud, Mikaela Martinez & Nükhet Yarbrough*
  • Do Good Things Come to Those Who Wait? Evaluating the Relationship between Procrastination and Physical Activity.
    • Galen Kardinal, Meg Golder, Paige Nelson, Hayley Walton & Scout Kelly*
  • The Relationship Between Grit, PsyCap, and Academic Outcome.
    • Rachel Thoma, Claire Tollefsrud, Kei Yoshida, Yara Alarcon-Furman & Sara Farrell*
  • We Know Where You (Want To) Live: Survey On Coe College Room Draw And Housing.
    • Jocelyn Gilbert, Lindo Castillo, Kathryn Koehler, Katrina Denzer & Wendy Dunn*
  • Creative Thinking and Memory for Word Lists: Are Divergent Thinkers More or Less Likely to Construct False Memories?
    • Wenxia Sweeney, Iyonna Heisterman & Nükhet Yarbrough*
  • Nurses’ Perceptions and Attitudes Toward the Management of Patients’ Pain.
    • Brandon Miller, Kelsey Craig, Erica Coxhead, Emma Gooding-Lord, April Golwitzer, MSN, RN, APN, Teresa Young, PhD & Benjamin Tallman*
  • The Effects Of The Bilingual Experience On Source Memory.
    • SaCora Fisher, Erica Ernzen, Alivia Nelson, Mia Resa, Auden Ovick & Renee Penalver*

2016-17

  • Relaxation Techniques for Patients Completing Elective Orthopedic Procedures.
    • Cody Leach, Ashley Peterson, Megan Peterson, Sonja Peterson, Adriana Morales, Rachel Hunter, Emily Laing & Benjamin Tallman*
  • Perceptual Category Boundaries and Need for Closure.
    • Emily Laing, Tom Moye* & Nükhet Yarbrough*
  • Outcomes of Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice in College Students.
    • ​​​​​​​Kaitlin Fosler & Sara Farrell*
  • Extraneous Stimulus Does Not Disrupt Sensitization of Methamphetamine-Induced Motor Effects in Male Chicks.
    • ​​​​​​​Jeffry Hernandez, Yareli Hernandez, Adriana Morales, Hanna Reese, Thomas Schakel & Mike Baker*
  • Where the Rubber Meets the Road in Clinical Intervention Research: Implementing Research Results Into Clinical Practice.
    • ​​​​​​​Megan Peterson, Ashley Peterson, Cody Leach, Sonja Peterson, Adriana Morales, Rachel Hunter, Emily Laing & Benjamin Tallman*
  • External Inhibition Of Methamphetamine Cpp-Mediated Drug-Seeking Behavior In Female Chicks.
    • ​​​​​​​Rhiannan Heikens, Jade Hess, Cody Leach, Alexandria Muldrew, Justin Vink, Alexa Wasicek, Ella Remund Wiger & Mike Baker*
  • The Impact of a Positive Psychology Intervention on State Gratitude and Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
    • ​​​​​​​Claire Tollefsrud, Adriana Morales & Sara Farrell*
  • Perceptual Boundaries, Magical Ideation, Need for Closure, and Creative Ideation.
    • ​​​​​​​Sarah Brickson, Lindo Castillo, Jancillin Chacko, Yareli Hernandez, Mckayla Morris, Paige Nelson, Delaney Novy, Tom Moye* & Nükhet Yarbrough*
  • Cultural Competency on Coe’s Campus.
    • ​​​​​​​Bailey Dixon, Sonja Peterson, Thomas Moye* & Nukhet Yarbrough*
  • A new type of indirect contact: Video news media and college students' perceptions of transgender individuals.
    • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Alexandria Muldrew, Dan Lehn* & Tom Moye*

 
Internship Opportunities

An internship can significantly strengthen a your candidacy for graduate schools and for jobs. Student internships are an important vehicle to attain various learning outcomes identified by the American Psychological Association (APA) as key learning goals. These goals emphasize ethical, interpersonal and professional development goals.

We designed our internship program to impart these values and skills through a pre-internship course, Applied Contemporary Psychology (ACP; PSY-295). In ACP, you will be presented with information about a wide range of potential careers in applied psychology (the helping professions). You also will learn practical career-related skills, such as writing cover letters and resumes, as well as networking skills important to procuring a job or graduate admission. The instructor provides mentorship and encouragement as you prepare your internship applications.

This course is followed by an on-site internship experience coupled with weekly discussion sessions addressing ethical, legal, moral, social and interpersonal issues that accompany work in a psychology-related field. The discussions allow you to explore your values and enhance your self-efficacy. During the 2015-’16 and ’16-’17 academic years 68 psychology students completed internships at 30 different sites, including local human service organizations, businesses and public mental health organizations. Coe’s close proximity to the MedQuarter, including two hospitals, provides easy access to internship sites for our students.

2020-21 Internships

  • Lauren Beer — St. Luke's Hospital - Child/Adolescent Behavioral Unit
  • Anna Bernstein — YPN (formerly Young Parents Network)
  • Rachel Keyes — St. Luke's - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Jack Redmond — Yampa Valley Autism
  • Caroline Strauel — NAMI-Linn County
  • MyKeisha Wells — Amani Community Services
  • Cassidy Steitz — Cedar Rapids Opportunity Center

2019-20 Internships

  • Sienna Church — Four Oaks
  • Mia Comparato — Garfield Elementary School
  • Elizabeth Condon — Tanager Place
  • Kathy Duong — Girl Scouts of America
  • Essa Gercone — NAMI-Linn County
  • Jeanette Gonzales — NAMI-Linn County
  • Jada Grubbs — Tanager Place
  • Danielle Hendrix — Kids on Course
  • Jessica Kelly — TaxAct-HR
  • Xinyue Li — Catherine McCauley
  • Delaney Logan — Waypoint
  • Kathryn Mason — Waypoint
  • Morgan Meese — Linn Mar Schools
  • Madi Ocasio — Waypoint
  • Taylor Slavens — Waypoint
  • Allison Taylor — St. Luke's - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Jeremy Lewis — Green State Credit Union Human Resources
  • Jordan Arneson — St. Luke's - Teaching Interventions to Empower and Strengthen Families (TIES)
  • Joyce Gilbert — Advanced Healthcare Services, LLC
  • Danielle Hendrix — Tanager Place
  • Abigail Larson — St. Luke's - TIES
  • Keenan Lee — St. Luke's - TIES    
  • Madison Ries — YPN
  • Nick Sohm — Deaf Iowans Against Abuse
  • Anita Wong — Mercy Hospital/Foundation

Additional internships sites since 2015-16:

Abbe Community Mental Health Center; Bare Minerals, Inc.; Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign; Catherine McCauly Center; Cedar Rapids Police Department, Coe College Admissions; Coe College Human Resources; Coe College Public Relations; Coe College Student Development; Common Road to Recovery; Community Hands; Four Oaks; Freedom Foundation; Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa; Great America Financial Services; Hy Vee, Inc.; Junior Achievement; Kids on Course; Kirkwood Community College; Linn County History Center; Linn County Public Health; Mercy Medical Center; Rockwell Collins, Inc.; St. Luke’s Hospital; Theatre Cedar Rapids; The ARC of East Central Iowa; TransAmerica; United Way of East Central Iowa; Unity Point Foundation; Van Meter, Inc.; Waypoint Domestic Violence Division; Waypoint Human Resources