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I/P Psychology Graduate Students

First Year Cohort (Fall 2024)

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Aidan Brandt 

Program: MA

Email: ajb332@uakron.edu 

Hometown: Medina, OH

Undergraduate Institution: Kent State University 

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Joelle Elicker 

Research Interests: Employee motivation, emotional health, and work-life balance.

Hobbies/ Other Interests: Collecting records, playing video games, baking, and playing bass.
 
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Meiqiao (Mei) Gu

Program: MA/PhD

Email: mg358@uakron.edu

Hometown: Henan, China

Undergraduate Institution: Henan University Minsheng College

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Diefendorff

Research Interests: Leadership, counterproductive work behavior, and well-being.

Hobbies/ Other Interests: Explore different restaurants/coffee shops; Watch movies/anime/talk shows. 
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Ashlyn Kurtz 

Program: MA/PhD

Email: ak638@uakron.edu 

Hometown: Geneva, Illinois

Undergraduate Institution: Grand Valley State University

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Rose Siuta

Research Interests: Leadership styles, employee satisfaction/health, motivation, DEI and stigmatization.

Hobbies/ Other Interests: Traveling, music, coffee and baking.
 
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Ginny Nasrallah 

Program: MA/PhD

Email: gn59@uakron.edu 

Hometown: Berlin Heights, Ohio, but I've lived in Cleveland for 8 years and counting.

Undergraduate Institution: Cleveland State University

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Meghan Thornton-Lugo

Research Interests: Impact of technology on the labor force (particularly jobs with historically lower education levels), job displacement, skill enhancement, and mental well-being.

Hobbies/ Other Interests: I love to work out, but my favorite thing in the world is traveling and hiking with my husband, Nate, and our dog, Griffey.

 

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Maya Oduyoye

Program: MA

Email: mao74@uakron.edu 

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Undergraduate Institution: The University of Akron

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Andee Snell

Research Interests: Motivation, employee satisfaction/engagement, organizational culture, and career development. 

Hobbies/ Other Interests: Reading, playing soccer, traveling, and doing puzzles.

Second Year Cohort (Fall 2023) 

BEN COWAN
Program MA
Email blc123@uakron.edu  
Hometown Cleveland, Ohio
Undergraduate Institution University of Redlands
Faculty Advisor Dr. Elicker 
Research Interests Talent development, job satisfaction, and performance management.  
Hobbies/Other Interests Golf, reading, coaching football, and space.
LEXI GOMEZ  
Program MA
Email ag451@uakron.edu 
Hometown Olmsted Falls, OH
Undergraduate Institution Case Western Reserve University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Diefendorff
Research Interests Motivation and leadership.
Hobbies/Other Interests I love playing soccer and trying out different kinds of art.
BEN MICHAEL 
Program MA
Email btm67@uakron.edu
Hometown Akron, Ohio 
Undergraduate Institution The University of Akron
Faculty Advisor Dr. Diefendorff
Research Interests Work motivation, engagement, and emotions/happiness at work.
Hobbies/Other Interests I enjoy traveling, exploring new cities, hiking, watching Cleveland sports, and playing basketball.
HEMANG VAIDYA
Program MA/PhD
Email hmv20@uakron.edu  
Hometown Mumbai, India
Undergraduate Institution Jai Hind College
Faculty Advisor Dr. Andee Snell
Research Interests Recruitment and selection; job choice and job attitudes; diversity, equity, and inclusion; organizational citizenship behavior; individual differences; and the application of quantitative methods in psychology.
Hobbies/Other Interests I’m really into stand-up comedy and comedy podcasts. 
LINDSEY WILCOXEN
Program MA
Email lew52@uakron.edu   
Hometown Cedarville, Ohio
Undergraduate Institution The University of Dayton
Faculty Advisor Dr. Thornton-Lugo
Research Interests Worker well-being and wellness, teamwork, and motivation.
Hobbies/Other Interests I love to read, thrift shop, go to the gym, and cook!
ANNIE WINKHART  
Program MA/PhD
Email arw151@uakron.edu  
Hometown Canton, OH
Undergraduate Institution The Ohio State University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Joelle Elicker
Research Interests Motivation, diversity in the workplace, training/development.
Hobbies/Other Interests Soccer, pickleball, hot yoga, DIY projects, and embroidery, spending quality time with my family and friends, Taylor Swift ERAs tour enthusiast.

Third Year Cohort (Fall 2022) 

JERAD BUCK 
Program MA/PhD
Email jb521@uakron.edu 
Hometown Clarksville, Tennessee 
Undergraduate Institution Austin Peay State University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Snell
Research Interests Psychometrics, leadership, performance management, feedback, individual differences, measurement, and training. 
Hobbies/Other Interests Hanging out with my dog (Max), Marvel/DC/Star Wars comics and shows, target shooting (compound bow), and spending time with family.  
XIN WEI ONG 
Program MA/PhD
Email xo5@uakron.edu 
Hometown Malaysia
Undergraduate Institution Linfield University 
Faculty Advisor Dr. Diefendorff
Research Interests Work motivation, emotions at work, team and individual performance, performance management and feedback, employee engagement and well-being, and organizational justice.
Hobbies/Other Interests Traveling, road trips, hiking, spending time in art museums, landscape, street, and architectural photography. 
MARGARET (MAGGIE) RAHM 
Program MA/PhD
Email mir12@uakron.edu 
Hometown King of Prussia, PA  
Undergraduate Institution Penn State University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Thornton-Lugo
Research Interests Leadership, Leadership Training, Teamwork, Diversity. 
Hobbies/Other Interests Cooking, trying new restaurants, and working out.

Fourth Year Cohort (Fall 2021)

Nicole Baker
Program MA/PhD
Email nmb118@uakron.edu 
Hometown Kennesaw, GA
Undergraduate Institution Kennesaw State University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Siuta 
Research Interests Sexual harassment, occupational health and safety, feedback and performance appraisal. 
Hobbies/Other Interests Weightlifting, yoga, hiking, traveling, and trying new food/restaurants 
Nicole Donaldson
Program MA/PhD
Email ned25@uakron.edu 
Hometown Mentor, OH
Undergraduate Institution Denison University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Thornton-Lugo
Research Interests Organizational justice, fairness, gender, COVID-related issues
Hobbies/Other Interests Hiking, eating chocolate, watching horror movies, going to coffee shops, trying new restaurants, petting people’s pets
Carlie French
Program MA/PhD
Email cpf12@uakron.edu 
Hometown Homerville, OH
Undergraduate Institution The University of Akron
Faculty Advisor Dr. Diefendorff
Research Interests Emotional labor, organizational justice, remote work as it pertains to morale
Hobbies/Other Interests Hiking, biking, canoeing, reading (mostly horror, mythology-based, and nonfiction), gardening, cooking, baking, trying new restaurants.
Megan Frey
Program MA/PhD
Email mef87@uakron.edu 
Hometown Montrose, MI
Undergraduate Institution Central Michigan University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Elicker
Research Interests Feedback, motivation, emotion, personality
Hobbies/Other Interests Spending time with my family and friends, playing keyboard or stringed instruments, running, baking, reading, and studying foreign languages
Steven Holthouser
Program MA/PhD
Email sah209@uakron.edu 
Hometown Davidson, NC
Undergraduate Institution Washington & Lee University
Faculty Advisor Dr. Snell
Research Interests Post-pandemic workplace transitions and adjustments, tests and measurement, individual differences, selection
Hobbies/Other Interests Cooking, video games, napping, weightlifting, visiting breweries, learning to play the banjo.

Fifth Year Cohort (Fall 2020) 

Completing the Dissertation (ABD)

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