New Psychology Research Opportunities at Clarke 

As part of Clarke University’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, academic departments on campus have been challenged to critically evaluate their course offerings. For the Psychology department, the process revealed new possibilities.    

“In Psychology, research experience is such an important part of professional development, and I wanted to create more opportunities for our students to build those skills,” said Assistant Professor of Psychology Richard Grove. “I saw a chance to revise one of our classes and make that possible.” 

Launched in spring 2024, the revitalized Psychology Lab course enables students to design, analyze, and present their own research. More than that, the lab atmosphere encourages students to think about their long-term goals and the steps that will get them there.  

“This is a smaller class, so we have time for in-depth questions and conversations,” Richard said. “I can work with students individually to help them prepare for graduate school, to understand the importance of networking, and to examine the areas of psychology that most align with their interests and career prospects.” 

Some of the topics the students have explored include prejudice and discrimination, the relationship between science and religion, how religion can shape one’s worldview and other moral foundations. This semester’s cohort will present their findings at Inspiring Minds: The Tri-State Undergraduate Psychology Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on November 16, but Richard hopes they carry the conversations even farther.  

“The topics we are looking at can have a lot of emotions tied to them,” Richard said. “This lab presents students with a chance to think critically and openly discuss these topics. That not only prepares them for graduate school and scholarly work, but for life beyond Clarke.”   

Already, those opportunities for connection have had a powerful impact on students. 

“I’m a double major in Biology and Psychology, so I wanted to take this class to understand the differences in those types of research. I found the experiential nature of Psychology research fascinating,” said senior Rachel Maxwell. “Plus, Richard is one of the most open, welcoming, and engaging professors I’ve had at Clarke. We could talk to him about anything. I think he helped us all create a better plan for our lives and careers after graduation.” 

Rachel’s experience was echoed by Joey Ward ‘25. As a Psychology major with double minors in Philosophy and Social Work, the lab allows him to focus on social psychology topics that cross disciplines.  

“This lab has helped me understand concepts from other classes like Research Methods, it has prepared me for my Capstone, and I know it has me on the right track for graduate school,” Joey said. “I also think I am a better leader because of this course. It’s influenced how I approach my work as a Peer Tutor and a student assistant for the men’s soccer team too.” 

While students have embraced the course so far, Richard is always looking for ways to improve it.  

“A lab like this is very new at Clarke, so we’ve had to be creative. Sometimes that means using secondary data from my own research as a starting point, but with each iteration of the class, the students can do more of their own design and analysis,” Richard said. “It’s my hope that in time we can upgrade our software and secure funding that would allow students to present their research at larger conferences. Building a foundation of research at Clarke benefits the students and will also help us attract high-caliber faculty now and into the future. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.” 

If you’d like to support research and student professional development opportunities at Clarke University, please visit clarke.edu/giving.