Members of Marywood’s psychology club held School Psychology Awareness Week from Nov. 14-18. The week called attention to school psychologists and Marywood’s Psychology Department with the theme “Small Steps Change Lives.”

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) chose the theme for schools nationwide to promote their departments.

The week began with a book drive for the Youth Advocate Program. The club received over four boxes of children’s books on the first day.

Vice President of the Psychology Club and Graduate Student in the School Psychology Program Jasmine Davis said the book drive will continue as a yearly tradition because of its popularity this year.

“It’s very successful for sure,” said Davis. “We are going to donate to multiple agencies in the area that support youth.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, Marywood’s psychology club members held a fundraiser at Chipotle from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. All customers who mentioned the club gave 50 percent of their total to the fundraiser.

Members of the psychology club held an informational table the following day on Nov. 16. They informed guests about activities within the department and jobs psychologists can do in schools.

The psychology club also created a bulletin board inspired by the game Candy Land to promote the department. Each space in the game provided a fact about what a school psychologist does in their field.

“The board is to give people a better sense of what we are doing in a fun way,” said Davis.
The week ended with a hockey game fundraiser at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Allison Fruehan, a graduate student in the School Psychology Educational Specialist Program, said the club plans on holding a job fair next semester because of the success of School Psychology Awareness Week.

“It will have a job fair aspect where students can go around the psychology department and talk to professors,” said Fruehan. “It’s another way to bring more attention to the program.”

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