News

A voice for women

8/16/22

TWU Psychology's Debra Mollen has been named a Distinguished Leader for Women for her "critical contributions to psychology through her trailblazing research on sexuality, reproductive justice, multicultural competence, and counseling psychology training."

TWU's Dr. Mollen interviewed for "The facts about abortion and mental health"

6/30/22

Dr. Debra Mollen of the Texas Woman's University Division of Psychology and Philosophy was interviewed for an article about concerns over the United States Supreme Court's decision regarding abortion and its impact on mental health.

The article, "The facts about abortion and mental health," was published on the American Psychological Association's website.

Regents authorize names for social work division, new nursing center

2/18/22

The Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents today approved naming features for a new nursing research center to be established at the university’s Dallas campus and for the existing division of social work at the Denton campus.

Governor appoints Palomares to state committee

1/13/22

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Ronald Palomares, PhD, to the state Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee for a term that expires on Feb. 1, 2027.

TWU student Demetria Ober spreads wings, flies solo in Spain

12/16/21

Texas Woman’s social work undergraduate Demetria Ober is studying abroad in Granada, Spain this year. As an individual who experiences blindness, she never imagined having the courage to leave her support system behind in order to fully immerse herself in a foreign language and culture.

Psychology professor receives 2021 state advocacy award

12/2/21

Ronald Palomares-Fernandez, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Texas Woman’s University, has received the Texas Psychological Association (TPA) 2021 State Advocacy Award for his commitment to the advancement of the psychology profession and discipline at the state regulatory level.

Dr. Lisa Rosen discusses most important skills for psychology instructors with Zippia.com

11/4/21

Associate Professor Lisa Rosen, PhD, discussed valuable technical skills for recent psychology graduates and working educators in a recent interview with Zippia.com. "Many majors can complete a research project from start to finish, which allows them to hone data analysis and interpretation skills and other skills critical to project management," Rosen said. "Psychology majors also develop their communication skills as written papers and oral presentations are quite common."

Ratonia Runnels featured in Scientific American's 'Social Capital in Black Communities is Often Overlooked'

10/20/21

“'As a young student, I learned early on that social work was a secular field and that people who have a strong faith background almost have to be prepared to tuck it in their pocket,' says Ratonia Runnels, an assistant professor of social work at Texas Woman’s University, who nonetheless studies how religion might be integrated into social work.

In 2011 Runnels published a study looking at how Black survivors of Hurricane Katrina used spirituality and religion to cope."

Dr. Lisa Rosen talks bullying risk factors, prevention in WalletHub's "Ask the Experts"

10/18/21

"When thinking about cyberbullying, it is important to remember that parenting is just one factor in a larger constellation of influences and that it might not always be possible to protect children from bullying," Associate Professor and Undergraduate Psychology Program Director Lisa H. Rosen, PhD, said in a recent edition of WalletHub's "Ask the Experts" series. "Cyberbullying is especially tricky for parents because children might go to great lengths to hide experiences of cyber victimization, especially if they fear parents may take away the technology they so crave when they learn about cyber victimization experiences."

Two TWU students awarded Gilman scholarships

8/4/21

Texas Woman’s University students Ashley Elliot and Demetria Ober look forward to expanding their worldview thanks to their recently awarded U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships. The scholarships will allow Elliot, an English major, to study abroad at Harlaxton College in England for the Spring 2022 semester and Ober, a social work major, to study abroad at Universidad de Granada in Spain for the 2021-2022 academic year. 

Smartt Gullion, Tilton's "Researching With" named International Book Awards finalist

6/21/21

"Researching With: A Decolonizing Approach to Community-Based Action Research" by Jessica Smartt Gullion (Associate Dean of Research, College of Arts and Sciences; Associate Professor, Sociology) and Abigail Tilton (Dean, College of Arts and Sciences; Professor, Social Work) has been named a 2021 International Book Awards finalist in the Education/Academic category.

According to the publisher's website, "Researching With" "is a guide for how to do research that is inclusive, engages in community-building, and implements a decolonizing framework. The text advocates for a collaborative approach, researching with communities, rather than conducting research on them. Reviewing both theory and method, Jessica Smartt Gullion and Abigail Tilton offer practical tips for forming community partnerships and building coalitions."

Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of American Book Fest, said this year’s contest yielded over 2,000 entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results.

Turning pain into purpose

5/25/21

A group of TWU students found a path to healing following the death of George Floyd when they formed TRIBE: A Black Student Support Group. The new, safe and confidential space allowed students to “celebrate blackness and express themselves fully in community,” as well as to discuss police brutality, racial inequality and the various emotions that would arise.

Dr. Samuel Y. Kim fosters belonging across communities, generations

5/4/21

Assistant Professor and Director of TWU’s School Psychology Specialist Program, Dr. Samuel Y. Kim, is raising awareness and advocating for change within the Korean American community through the mental health YouTube channel "Joon and Dr. Sam," which he co-hosts with friend and counselor Joon Koh. By creating videos and curating resources in English and Korean that cover a range of topics, including life in the U.S., raising children, navigating the Korean American experience and finding a therapist, they aim to destigmatize mental health, help viewers discern good information from bad, and encourage those in need to seek assistance from professionals.

Student project WomxnEmpowerWomxn donates hair products, hijabs to Children’s Advocacy Center

5/3/21

A Texas Woman’s University project called “WomxnEmpowerWomxn” was developed by students who collaborated with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County to donate African American hair products and hijabs for Muslim girls.

This project initially started as an assignment in TWU’s Social Work Macro Practice Class by Daniela Castillo Vazquez, Daisy Guerrero, Jennifer Nuno, Alesia Ortiz and Jacqueline Valdez-Ortiz. The group was given a list of multiple organizations but chose the center to help the kids in need.

The original goal for the group was to raise $500, but the group surpassed their goal by raising $1050 along with other physical donations.

Argyle ISD hires TWU alumnus as director of special education

3/15/21

Last month, the Argyle ISD Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Dr. Mark Ruggles as the district’s new director of special education, a new position starting next school year. He holds a doctoral degree in School Psychology from Texas Woman’s University.

Debra Mollen, PhD, discusses trauma on TV with ABC News

2/4/21

TWU psychology professor Debra Mollen was interviewed for a report on ABC News in Houston about how watching violence played out on TV – for example the footage of the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6 – can trigger adverse feelings for those who have previously experienced violence or trauma in their own lives.

JMSW student Madison Hill pens letter to the editor

1/26/21

"Maslow’s theory of human needs states that before an individual can reach self-actualization, their human needs must be met first," writes Madison Hill, a current graduate student in the Joint Master of Social Work program at Texas Woman’s University, where she also serves as an AmeriCorps member for Communities in Schools of North Texas serving at-risk students.

Professor Debra Mollen quoted in USA Today article about psychological impact of capitol riot

1/13/21

"We can have physiological responses," said Debra Mollen, Ph.D.,  a psychology professor at Texas Woman's University. "After the riot, one of my former students told me she couldn't get out of bed. I've heard lots of accounts of women I know who have been uncontrollably crying. I've read several accounts of people who vomited, they were so upset and distressed by what they were witnessing."