Senior Award Winners

Every year we are fortunate to be able to grant winners for multiple prizes, including multiple Robert S. Harper prizes and the Edith Powers Van Dyke award.

Robert S. Harper winners. The Harper Prize was established in 1987 by friends, colleagues, family, and former students of Dr. Robert S. Harper to honor him at the time of his retirement.  The goal of the prize is to recognize and assist a graduating Knox senior who has been accepted into a graduate program in psychology and seems likely to “follow in Professor Harper’s footsteps.” (Note: Bob was an experimental psychologist)  We award generally two prizes, one for a student who has been accepted into a PhD program and one who has been accepted into a masters program.  

There are also annual Harper Poster Session prizes for the best senior poster.

The Edith Powers Van Dyke award was established in 1981 by her husband and friends. Edith was a psychology major and active in Tri-Delta while at Knox. The award is designated to be given to the student or students who have made an exceptional contribution to the advancement of Psychology at Knox. That contribution can take the form of scholarship, research, leadership in the Psychology Club, or exceptional promotion of psychology on the campus; a host of other intangibles can also be considered. The winner of the award receives a monetary stipend and his or her name is inscribed on a plaque prominently displayed in the Psychology Department. Their picture also hangs in the E-wing hallway of SMC for several years.