Join Us

1. Be authentic in your personal statement.
Your personal statement should reflect your voice, your goals, and your journey—not ChatGPT’s. Admissions committees (and faculty like me) can spot overly polished, impersonal writing a mile away. Using AI to help brainstorm or clarify your ideas is one thing, but outsourcing the whole thing is a red flag. If you use AI to write your statement, reviewers may wonder: What else will this person use AI to do in grad school? Write their thesis? Analyze their data?  

2. Show us who you are—not just your accomplishments.
Briefly reflect on what shaped your interest in the field, but spend more time telling me what you’ve learned while preparing for graduate work and how this program—especially my lab—can help you get where you want to go. And you should know where you want to go (e.g., PhD program, industry) and the types of topics you would like to research. If you have no career goals or research interests, then our program may not be the best fit for you at this time. I’d encourage you to check out my Careers in Psychology website to explore free career assessments and resources to help clarify your direction. 

3. Tailor your application to each program.
Avoid the “copy and paste” approach. Mention specific faculty whose research aligns with your interests, coursework that excites you, or opportunities at UTC that will help you grow. Show us that you’ve done your homework.

4. Ask for feedback early.
Have a mentor, professor, or friend read your materials—especially your statement and CV/resume. They can help catch awkward wording or missed opportunities to highlight your strengths and accomplishments.

5. Demonstrate readiness, not perfection.
No one expects you to have it all figured out. We do look for students who are curious, resilient, motivated, and ready to learn. Show us how you’ve grown from challenges, taken initiative, or improved after making mistakes.

Since I have started at UTC in the fall of 2020, I have had the opportunity to serve as a thesis committee member for several graduate students in both the Psychological Sciences MS program as well as the Industrial-Organizational Psychology MS Program. As a faculty member and thesis committee chair, I have worked with students on the following thesis projects:

• Claxson, T. Exploring the experiences of male victims of intimate partner violence when seeking an order of protection. 

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

  • 2024-25 Summer Psi Chi Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant Recipient

• Lange, T. Reimaging justice: Conceptualizing a transformative framework for survivors of the commercial sex industry.

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

• Khan, S. (2025). A cross-cultural comparison of the impact of colorism on mental health in South Asians in the U.S. and Asia. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/999/ 

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

  • Shyla's work was featured on the UTC Blog here!

• DiClementi, J. (2025). A comparison of faculty: Differences in experiences among LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ faculty on University campuses. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/1004/ 

• Rawls, B. (2025). Exploring community violence, anxiety, and substance use among Black adults. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/1012/ 

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

• Carl, C. (2024). Intersectionality and employment barriers: Analyzing age and gender bias in job advertisements. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/867/ 

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

  • Published in the International Journal of Aging and Human Development.

In my past work at Missouri State University, had the opportunity to serve as a thesis committee chair and co-chair for students on the following thesis projects:

• Griffin, L. J. (2021). The effect of sex education programs on rape culture. BearWorks. Retrieved from https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3627/ 

• Kinkade, E. E. (2020). Does Aging Identity Moderate the Impact of Experiences With Familial Ageism on Well-Being? BearWorks. Retrieved from https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3516/ 

I have been incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some amazing undergraduate researchers at UTC. Here are some of the projects I have supervised:

• Wilkins, C. (2025). Understanding the impact of UTA-Student rapport on student course outcomes.

• Minneci, E. (2025). The culture of the convent: Recruitment, retention, and talent development for Catholic nuns in America.

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

• Flowers, C. (2025). Examining the correlation between barriers to the disclosure of sexual assault for LGBTQ+ survivors.

• Hooper, I. (2025). The impact of aging expectations and gender role adherence on the well-being of women ages 18+ and 50+.

• Hall, M. L. (2024). Promoting self-acceptance among LGBTQ+ individuals: Investigating the impact of religious, spiritual, and mystical experiences. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/484/ 

• Shappley, A. G. (2024). Effects of attractiveness and relationship type on perceptions of adolescent sexual grooming. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/463/ 

  • Published in the Journal of Child Sexual Abuse!

• Hillman, K. (2023). Effects of age and gender on perceptions of victims of financial exploitation. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/440/ 

  • Spring 2022 Psi Chi Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant Recipient

• Dickinson, J. M. (2021). Effects of gender and sexual orientation on perceptions of the bereaved. UTC Scholar. Retrieved from https://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/341/ 

  • Scholarship, Engagement, the Arts, Research, Creativity, and Humanities (SEARCH) Award Recipient

Our lab is dedicated to producing open-source, accessible research and resources aimed at promoting equity and supporting vulnerable communities—including women, minorities, children, older adults, and LGBTQ+ individuals. We believe that knowledge and tools for change should be available to everyone, free of charge.

However, funding for research broadly related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is increasingly being reduced or eliminated. This creates new challenges for researchers committed to studying issues that disproportionately affect underrepresented and marginalized populations.

Your Support Matters:
If our work has been helpful to you, and you are in a position to contribute, your support can help us bridge this funding gap. Every donation—no matter the size—allows us to sustain our research and invest in the next generation of social science leaders.

How Your Support Helps:

• Funding Student Research: Your contributions directly support diverse students conducting research on issues that might otherwise go underfunded, including:

  • Workplace experiences of LGBTQ+ faculty and staff compared to their non-LGBTQ+ colleagues.

  • The development of a website to help prospective students assess universities’ LGBTQ+ friendliness based on our research.

  • Workshops to prevent child and adolescent sexual grooming (both digital and in-person).

  • Barriers men face when seeking orders of protection.

  • Transformative justice approaches for sex trafficking survivors.

  • And many other student-driven projects that address the needs of marginalized groups.

• Supporting Student Professional Development: Your donation also helps fund conference travel, research training, and career development opportunities—ensuring that students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, gain the skills and networks they need to thrive.

Why Now?
As traditional funding streams for DEI-focused research decline, your support becomes even more critical. It helps ensure that the work of our students and researchers can continue—driving knowledge, influencing policy, and supporting those who need it most.

Join Us:
We remain committed to keeping all our research and resources freely available to the public. If you believe in our mission and have the means to contribute, we would be truly grateful for your support—whether it’s the equivalent of a cup of coffee or a larger gift. If you would like more information on current projects we are working to fund, please contact Dr. Walker at ruth-walker@utc.edu

👉 Support Us on Ko-fi

Together, we can advance equity and ensure this work endures. Thank you for standing with us.