By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. – Several Washington State University faculty are the recipients of a $1.4 million grant from the to refine and expand an assessment that helps address truancy in K-12 schools.

The program, also known as WARNS, uses evidence-driven procedures to track and improve interventions with students. The program was developed in 2008 to assess students on a scale of six needs that have been linked to truancy, delinquency and/or dropping out of school: aggression-defiance, depression-anxiety, substance abuse, peer deviance, family environment and school engagement. More than 100 schools in Washington state and across the nation are now using the tool.

Paul Strand, 厙ぴ勛圖 professor of psychology, Brian French, Berry Family Distinguished professor and director of WSU���s and , Nick Lovrich, WSU Regents professor emeritus, and Bruce Austin, research associate in educational psychology and the LPRC, have worked since 2014 to evaluate and refine WARNS. With the grant, the group is also adding the following members to their team to help refine the tool: Chad Gotch and Marcus Poppen, both WSU assistant professors in education, and Mary Roduta Roberts, an associate professor of occupational therapy at the University of Alberta.

French said what makes the program so successful is its ability to hone-in on issues that lead to truancy early in a student���s educational path. Schools can develop a plan for how to address those issues and increase the student���s likelihood of being successful. He said what was made especially clear amid the COVID-19 pandemic is the need to get information to counselors regarding student issues at home and other external factors that prevent students��� current and future success.

���This grant will also allow us more space to examine its success,��� French said. ���We will also be looking into specific implications of the WARNS ��� how it is used and the success when it is in use. We want to look at the implications and gather data to know how those conversations are helping and specific instances of how that is happening. Then, we can continue to build from that information.���

Updating the assessment

Strand said the new grant will allow the team to update the instrument in a few ways. He said a variety of new issues have arisen that have impacted school attendance and performance in recent years. Examples, he said, include the prevalence of vaping and social media use.

Additionally, the team aims to improve the middle school version of the instrument to tailor it further for issues that pertain to that specific age demographic.

���The grant allows us to explore the context of student situations and how to refine WARNS to reflect that context,��� Strand said.

Identifying issues early to reduce truancy, drop-out rates

French said more than 10,000 assessments have been given through the program.

���To me, that represents 10,000 productive conversations that have occurred with kids,��� he said. ���We can look at the large numbers to help us do that, but each of those individual conversations are helping make a difference in the lives of thousands of kids each year.���

Strand said schools use the data from the assessment to develop and implement a plan for at-risk students through school community truancy boards to help prevent and/or correct student behavior.

���With the pandemic, we have seen that many counselors are struggling to stay connected and invested in kids,��� he said. ���But what we have seen with WARNS is that it has helped schools stay connected and invested in kids. The pandemic wasn���t something we could have envisioned, but it is a tool that has helped.���

For more information about WARNS, including how to implement it for individual schools or school districts, visit泭

 

Media contacts:

• Paul Strand, 厙ぴ勛圖 professor of psychology, pstrand@wsu.edu
• Brian French, WSU Pullman Berry Family Distinguished professor and director of WSU���s Learning and Performance Research Center and Psychometric Laboratory, frenchb@wsu.edu
• Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 director of marketing and communication, 509-372-7333 (office), 619-403-3617 (cell), maegan_murray@wsu.edu
• Brandon Chapman, WSU College of Education public relations/communications manager, 509-335-6850, b.chapman@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Data analysis from a Washington State University Tri-Cities psychology statistics course will be used to help , a camp for children with serious medical conditions, improve recruitment strategies and further refine camp programming to meet the needs of the children and families it serves amid COVID-19 and beyond.

The 厙ぴ勛圖 course, titled ���Statistics in Psychology,��� which is taught by associate psychology professor Janet Peters, partners each semester with a regional nonprofit to analyze data and turn it into useable sets of information. The opportunity not only allows students to use their developed knowledge of statistics, but also to learn more about the vast areas in which they can apply a career in psychology to help people and regional organizations, Peters said.

���When I first started doing service learning in my classes, the first question I asked was ���How do I help students understand the power of the skills they are learning?��� ��� she said. ���The power of those skills become so much more apparent when you are helping somebody. That is what truly changes their perspective. They are learning for a purpose. When they see the benefits to their community, it changes the culture of the classroom.���

Peters was connected with Camp Korey through Academic Program. The center works closely with faculty and instructors to integrate service learning into numerous courses across the WSU system, partnering for more than 1,500 opportunities.

���We see ourselves as a way to get students connected with off-campus engagement,��� said Jessica Perone, faculty consultant with the WSU Center for Civic Engagement. ���Janet participated in the 2017 Center for Civic Engagement Faculty Fellows program. Camp Korey was looking for some support with data analysis, and we were able to establish a great partnership with her 厙ぴ勛圖 class.���

Changes amid COVID-19

Camp Korey provides year-round camp programs for children with life-altering medical conditions free of charge. It offers traditional summer camp activities, which are modified to meet their specific condition or circumstances. It also offers a year-round hospital outreach program known as ���Camp to You,��� which brings camp activities to children while they receive treatment in the hospital setting.

Kimberly Puhrmann, director of marketing and community engagement for Camp Korey, said in

a normal year, summer camp participants have the opportunity to partake in onsite activities ranging from horseback riding, to arts and crafts, to a special event called ���Silly Olympics��� where kids can fling paint, throw food and generally enjoy being a kid.

���This year, we had to creatively and quickly pivot our programming to a remote, virtual experience for campers and for our volunteers,��� she said. ���While we normally think of camp as an analog activity, in 2020, we found ways to blend analog fun in a digital experience as we strived to stay connected with our campers and community.���

From data to community action ��� all virtually

In groups, 厙ぴ勛圖 students collaboratively worked virtually to analyze data for a variety of factors, ranging from identifying camp participant sense of belonging, feelings of isolation, confidence levels, as well as general demographics. All factors were compared using data from before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The students used Google Docs, Zoom and other digital platforms to communicate back and forth, keep track of their project progress, as well as complete their final reports detailing their analysis.

���Thankfully, we have technology that allows us to communicate,��� psychology student Angelica Mendoza said. ���We had to hold each other accountable and regularly have conversations about our work and progress.���

Analysis revealed that the camp was doing a great job in a variety of areas. For example, camp participants did not report feeling any more isolated in 2019 as compared to 2020 amid the pandemic, despite the switch to virtual offerings.

Analysis from other components revealed areas that could be further fine-tuned in their programming and supports. For example, female camp participants saw a decrease in continued participation from year to year after the age of 10, whereas male camp participants saw peak participation in their mid-teens. Stemming from research, the students indicated that one reason for the difference could be that male participants tend to participate more in outdoor activities than female participants for that age range.

���The data analysis and impactful insights provided by Dr. Peters and the psychology students will be instrumental when making future key decisions in the strategic planning of our camper programming, mission development and community outreach initiatives,��� Puhrmann said.

She said the data will help the camp moving forward in identifying how they can best recruit and reach families with children with serious medical conditions, in validation for some of the things they are doing well, and for enhancing some of the programs and activities they provide to children and their families. It will also help them pursue further fundraising efforts and in the sharing of their brand and mission, she said.

���Our medical and program team will be using this, especially in looking at the social and emotional aspects of our programming,��� she said.

Rewards of applying course learning to community

Many 厙ぴ勛圖 students in the class said the opportunity to work with Camp Korey provided them with an extensive insight into the possibilities with psychology, gave meaning to their coursework, and made a course that can be intimidating much more approachable.

���I never would have expected to have had such an amazing experience in a statistics course, of all things,��� Mendoza said. ���(Peters) made me passionate about statistics because of the dedication she demonstrated to the material and to her students. The project only emphasized the importance of statistics to me and I wanted to show my newfound interest and appreciation for it through my work.���

Mendoza said working on the project with Camp Korey was one of the most rewarding experiences of her college career because of the service-based, real-world connection to what she was learning.

���Knowing that we were analyzing data for an organization like Camp Korey motivated us to stay dedicated to learning the material and produce quality work to be able to share with our community partners,��� she said. ���I personally felt so inspired by Camp Korey���s mission. This organization is devoted to allowing kids with serious medical conditions experience childhood. I am very grateful for this opportunity in collaborating with such an amazing cause.

Psychology student Jocelyn Martinez said it helped open her eyes to the world of research in psychology and the impact that it can have, regionally.

���My favorite aspects were analyzing their data and creating the final presentation,��� she said. ���It did open my eyes to research psychology, since I was leaning toward a career in clinical psychology. It helped me see that with research, I could learn more about different ways of treatment ��� It was very meaningful because a lot of times, you don���t have a lot of chances to work with nonprofits. It also helped me learn the material way better than I expected.���

The 厙ぴ勛圖 class will continue to work with Camp Korey this spring semester to analyze some alternative sets of data. The class is now examining data as it applies to diversity, equity and inclusion.

���The next wave of data will help guide and inform how we engage the process of recruitment for staff, volunteers and especially our campers and camp families,��� Puhrmann said.

Holistic support from WSU

Peters��� class was one of several WSU classes and groups of students working to provide direct support for Camp Korey. One group created friendship bracelets for the campers. Other groups helped with creation of camper kits that were shipped out to camps participants, encouraging letters and painting rocks for use in beautifying the grounds.

���Being a WSU alumna, myself, this partnership has been incredibly rewarding,��� Puhrmann said. ���While this has been a challenging time for everyone, it is simply through the grit and determination of our community that Camp Korey continues to thrive. We are beyond grateful to WSU, the Center for Civic Engagement, Dr. Peters and the students for this opportunity and impactful partnership.���

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Sharing the complete picture of humanity, especially the hard topics, so that one-day she can affect positive change.

That���s the reason photographer and Washington State University Tri-Cities alumna Madison Rosenbaum first picked up a camera. Shedding light on difficult social issues and providing a voice for the unheard is also what led her to document local protests following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

The images themselves do the talking, and they allow others to share their own stories, Rosenbaum said.

���There are seven billion people on this planet experiencing the world differently every day,��� she said. ���If I can provide a glimpse into those experiences for others intentionally or unintentionally seeking to better connect with humanity, then my artistry is serving the purpose I want it to.���

Photography as a catalyst

Rosenbaum said she hopes her photographs of this month help the community mourn the unjust deaths of African Americans, tell the stories of those still experiencing racism and inequality, and serve as a catalyst for positive change.

���As an artist and someone who identifies as white, I want to do better at providing a space for marginalized groups簫���for black, indigenous, people of color���to see themselves in art and to have their stories heard,��� she said. ���I will always be a believer that storytelling through photography can help be the bridge to connecting and understanding someone else���s lived experience with an open mind and open heart.���

Photography, she said, can often shed light on feelings, emotions, actions and even consequences where words may fall short. In her recent photographs of the protests, the portraits display the frustration, grit and pain experienced by many as they held signs stating ���Black lives matter,��� ���I can���t breathe��� and ���Together we stand.���

���In an age of social media, it is easier than ever to be vocal about social issues,��� she said. ���I hope those viewing my work are choosing to listen to the stories told by those in the photographs and take their stories to heart. Their experiences are valid and real.���

Building a foundation with education

While she didn���t know it at the time, Rosenbaum said choosing two seemingly unmatched degree programs to double major in at 厙ぴ勛圖, digital technology and culture and psychology, helped open her mind to how she could use creativity to shine light on social issues.

Through her digital technology and culture courses, she mastered and refined the skills and techniques that now allow her to capture color, angles, light and emotion in her art, and she learned the power of using art to shine light on important topics. Her psychology courses, she said, provided a foundational understanding of the human mind, and how humans interact and relate.

During her senior year, Rosenbaum was invited by digital technology and culture professor Peter Christenson to participate in the ���Women artists from the Columbia Valley��� exhibition, which featured 64 contemporary female artists and their work. As part of her submission for the exhibition, Rosenbaum collaborated with two other artists on images of mental health, and specifically her personal journey with depression.

���They were self-portraits that we each helped one another construct and produce,��� she said. ���Being in front of the camera as a model exploring something incredibly vulnerable was difficult, but I realized it was an outlet to discuss something that I was passionate about and often did not have the words for. It was the first step for me in understanding storytelling through photography and an experience I keep in mind always as I help others explore theirs.���

Telling stories

After that first exhibition, Rosenbaum began producing and participating in other photography and art projects that helped shed light on social, emotional and political topics.

She organized 厙ぴ勛圖��� first student-curated photo exhibition, which featured artist-submitted works on the topics of domestic and sexual violence, social injustice, racism, sexuality and inequality. She said while it made some people uncomfortable, it was well received by individuals who stated that it helped them explore hard to discuss topics.

After graduating from 厙ぴ勛圖 in 2015, she expanded upon a series of photographs she began as a student called ���,��� which features dozens of individual portraits and stories that explore vulnerabilities of humankind and examine sociopolitical barriers through an artistic lens. She began another series titled ������ on what life is like as an immigrant in 21^st century America, as well as a series specifically detailing struggles with mental health called ���.���

In March of this year, amid the COVID-19 health crisis, she began a series detailing individuals��� experiences from home and those who work on the frontlines in healthcare titled ���.��� The series features individuals from the Tri-Cities area, as well as others who live around the world. Many said they wanted to participate because they wanted to share their personal experiences, and also as a way to connect while everyone feels so isolated.

���When Madison asked me if I would be interested in participating in the project, my family and I [had recently] experienced a tragedy and I wanted to share a realization,��� said Carina Le籀n, a participant in the project. ���My life has suddenly become more precious, and I want to be more conscious of the moments I have with myself and with my loved ones.���

���I participated in ���Tales from Home��� because I wanted to give people the perspective of someone in the heart of the pandemic, one of the largest metropolitan hotspots in the world,��� said Maximilian VonderMehden, a 厙ぴ勛圖 alumnus and a nurse in Los Angeles. ���I wanted to give some perspective that even if the disease isn���t ���right at your doorstep,��� what we���re all doing still matters, still plays a part, and is still essential.���

Using art to open eyes

Rosenbaum said while some of her projects may make people uncomfortable, it is for the purpose of positive change, and it has helped to open her eyes to her own inherent thoughts and emotions.

���I want to challenge viewers and their biases,��� she said. ���I want to challenge my own views and biases. These stories have changed my life. I have become more educated about the histories and cultures and experiences of marginalized groups. I have become an advocate in my community. My work to dismantle white supremacy and examining my white privilege is a constant journey, but I am trying every day and in every story I share.���

Photography, Rosenbaum said, is a way to not only express herself, but to express the thoughts, emotions, struggles and triumphs of others.

���We can all be agents of change,��� she said. ���Blog. Write. Sing. Create. Photograph. Draw. Paint. No matter your craft, do it with intention.���

To view Rosenbaum���s work, visit .

RICHLAND, Wash. ���泭 Washington State University Tri-Cities students will present semester and course research and art projects as part of the Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition Dec. 9 and Dec. 11-13.

Sessions will take place from noon ��� 1 p.m. each day in Consolidated Information Center (CIC) 120, with the exception of Wednesday���s session, which takes place from noon ��� 1 p.m. in the CIC Art Gallery.

���Students have the opportunity to publicly present course and research projects that not only provide hands-on opportunities to explore topics within their field, but also projects that bridge into community partnerships to solve real-world problems,��� said Allison Matthews, clinical associate professor of psychology and coordinator for the symposium.

Some of the academic areas highlighted during the symposium include: the sciences, digital technology and culture, fine arts, history, mathematics and psychology.

Some of the projects featured during the symposium include:

• The exploration of American roots, including topics such as immigration, migration and ethnic identity
• Nutrient limitation of microbial and algal biofilms in Cascade streams
• Drawing and paintings that depict a variety of themes, including topics of expressing the evolution of humanity, nostalgia for the past or hope and/or fear for the future; 泭and spirituality, mythology, or emotional state

For more information, contact Matthews at 509-372-7146 or泭almatthews@wsu.edu.

 

Media contacts:

Allison Matthews, clinical associate professor of psychology and symposium coordinator, 509-372-7146, almatthews@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Will Ferguson, WSU News

Noel Vest���s goal was to go to community college to earn a degree as a chemical dependency counselor when he walked out the doors of a Nevada prison on June 28, 2009.

Other than hard labor, it was the only career he thought was possible for a formerly incarcerated person.

Almost a decade later Vest is about to graduate from Washington State University with a PhD in psychology and start the next chapter of his life as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University.

���Never in a million years would I have dreamed I���d be where I am today,��� Vest said. ���There���s a lot to be said about finding what drives you and for me that has been pursuing a career in higher education. It gave me the direction and motivation I needed to turn my life around.���

Road to recovery

As a young adult, Vest���s personal struggles with alcohol, drug and substance use left him isolated from his family and young daughter and eventually landed him in a Nevada prison cell. He served seven years for 21 different charges, ranging from drug convictions to identity theft.

Halfway through his sentence, he knew he needed a change.

In addition to attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Vest started taking courses at the College of Southern Nevada and teaching in the prison school. He quickly discovered learning and teaching others gave him a sense of direction and purpose he had never felt before.

When he was released from prison, Vest moved to Richland, Wash., and became a certified chemical dependency counselor through the Columbia Basin College.

He later attended 厙ぴ勛圖 and graduated with a bachelors in psychology and a 4.0 GPA, a marked improvement from his 2.02 GPA in high school. In 2014, Vest was accepted into the WSU experimental psychology doctorate program in Pullman.

Vest���s PhD advisor and mentor, Sarah Tragesser, associate professor of psychology at 厙ぴ勛圖, expressed to him early on the importance of publishing frequently and having at least one publication as the first author.

Vest leveraged his connections in the chemical dependency field in the Tri-Cities to orchestrate a series of projects examining how mental illness, chronic pain and other co-occurring conditions influence the likelihood of a person developing a substance use disorder. He used the results of his studies to publish four papers, three of which were first author publications.

���Noel���s research identified how physical pain, depression and other individual differences can impact treatment and how certain points of time in treatment can be critical points of intervention,��� Tragesser said.泭���I will miss his great sense of humor and infectious passion for substance use research. He is always thinking about how his work can make an impact on the world.���

Lasting influence

While at WSU, Vest founded Cougs for Recovery, a support group for students struggling with any behavioral or chemical addiction. He also played an instrumental role campaigning for the passage of the 2018 Fair Chance in Higher Education Act, which prohibits Washington State institutes of higher education from inquiring about a student���s criminal history before that individual has been accepted for enrollment.

���When you take jobs or the ability to go to college away from someone, they aren���t going to be successful whether they have a criminal history or not,��� Vest said. ���My hope is that the work I���ve done at WSU will continue to play a role helping formerly incarcerated persons in Washington to turn their lives around.���

Next steps

This June, Vest will move to Palo Alto to begin working with Keith Humphries, professor of psychiatry at Stanford and one of the world���s foremost experts in the prevention and treatment of addictive disorders.

Vest said his hope is that his research will ultimately play a role in changing the U.S. justice system���s prevailing deficit-based approach to prison re-entry, where individuals are viewed as lacking appropriate skills or abilities, to a more strength or hope-based approach that focuses on reinforcing pre-existing qualities that can be nurtured to reinforce positive change.

���Eventually I would love to be able to recruit formerly incarcerated scholars to a research program,��� Vest said. ���There is a certain level of lived experience that really can never be learned in a book that enables you to see the picture more clearly and ask the right questions.���

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Eyes were opened and hearts touched as students in a Washington State University Tri-Cities psychology statistics course recently worked with homeless people at Tri-City Union Gospel Mission.

Each semester, Janet Peters, clinical assistant professor of psychology, has her students work with a local service-based organization to provide them with real-world experience.

���These types of opportunities provide students with a practical look into how they can use statistics in psychology,��� Peters said. ���They���re also providing a service to a local organization who may not have the time to dig deep into their data and do this type of analysis.���

The students spent the semester analyzing data from the facility determining factors that influence or relate to homelessness.泭, in turn, can use the data to demonstrate to donors the need for its services and educate the community.

The class also spent a day volunteering at the homeless shelter ��� cleaning bathrooms, organizing the food pantry, scrubbing floors, folding laundry and decorating their sidewalks with sidewalk chalk, among other tasks.

For some students, the opportunity proved deeply personal.

���Having been homeless several times, it was humbling being able to serve and give back to resources that have such a large impact in our community,��� said senior student Jacob Hafen. ���As we demonstrated with our projects, homelessness isn���t necessarily centered around addiction or a mental disorder, although sure we do see homeless people who are suffering in either of those instances.���

Surprising factors contribute to homelessness

The students aimed to identify a relationship between how long an individual might be homeless and variety of influencing factors, including:

• Employment status
• Education level
• Drug use
• Number of children
• And a variety of other issues

Approximately 34 percent of the residents at the mission had been living with friends or family and, for whatever reason, it didn���t work out. Approximately 21 percent of the residents had been kicked out of their home. Approximately 14 percent of the residents had suffered from domestic violence.

The average amount of days stayed at the facility over the course of three years was just over a month (37 days) ��� a surprise to many of the students. And the leading cause for longer stays in the shelter was eviction, followed by domestic violence.

Drug use wasn���t as high of a determining of a factor as many of the students initially predicted. In their analysis, they found that a history of addiction was not related to how long the women stayed at the shelter.

Level of education, many said, was also surprising when determining if that had an impact on length of stay. High school graduates typically stayed slightly longer ��� 43 days, as compared to non-high school grads, who stayed for an average of 29 days.

While all the information was self-reported and dependent on the individual���s honesty, it proved to break stereotypes on homelessness for many of the students.

For junior psychology major Rocio Marquez, it was surprising to find that employed individuals didn���t seem to have an easier path. Employed individuals, she said, might stay just as long as non-employed individuals.

���You would think that because they���re employed, they will get back on their feet much faster, and they don���t,��� she said.

Profound impact泭

Junior Sarah Wright said the project has allowed her and her classmates to better understand the Tri-Cities community as a whole.

���Homelessness is much closer to home than we realize,��� she said. ���This could be your brother, your sister, your mother. It doesn���t take much.���

With former experience being homeless, himself, Hafen said often times, there are no easy explanations or answers to the issue of homelessness ��� a concept that many of the students said they came to realize.

���Homelessness is really an ugly truth, and it���s good for people to realize that this is part of some peoples��� lives,��� Hafen said. ���We have the stereotype of ���this is what homelessness is.��� Giving our time with this project helps debunk that.���

 

 

 

Media contacts:

• Janet Peters, clinical assistant professor of psychology,泭509-372-7431,泭janet.peters@wsu.edu
• Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Students will highlight semester course projects, research and art as part of the fall Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition on Dec. 11 and 13 at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Members of the public are invited to attend as students present on their projects, which include the areas of history, political science, psychology, wine science, biology, fine art, English, mechanical engineering and environmental science.

Students will present posters of their research and course projects both days from noon ��� 1 p.m. in CIC 120. The art exhibition will be held from noon ��� 1 p.m. on Dec. 13, in the CIC Art Gallery.

���The Undergraduate Research Symposium and Art Exhibition provides our students with an excellent opportunity to practice communicating their research and course projects, which is an essential skill for when they go out into the professional environment,��� said Allison Matthews, 厙ぴ勛圖 clinical assistant professor of psychology. ���We have a variety of great projects that will be on display.���

Some of the projects include:

• Research on plant-mycorrhizal fungal interactions
• Research on public health education programs for people who are at-risk for developing Type 2 diabetes
• An analysis of data from the Tri City Union Gospel Mission regarding client demographics, factors that influence homelessness and other related variables
• Investigating heat transfer on a surface subject to nanoparticle coating
• Nutrient limitation of algal and microbial biofilms in the Yakima Watershed
• The effect of pesticides on algal and microbial biofilms
• Cluster architecture and fruit composition as influenced by rachis tipping in wine grapes
• Title IX in regard to procedures on campus
• The Plastic Garden ��� a fine arts and engineering collaboration to construct a moving mechanical garden made of plastic and mechanical components

Media contacts:

Allison Matthews, 厙ぴ勛圖 assistant professor of psychology, 509-372-7146, almatthews@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖 public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� Peter Nolan spent four years post-high school serving in the military police through the U.S. Army.

But as his enlisted contract came to a close, he decided to leave active duty to pursue college full-time because he knew an education would provide him with the background and know-how to not only succeed in a future job, but also provide him with greater career advancement options.

Finding and attending Washington State University Tri-Cities, he said, has allowed him to continue pursuing a rewarding military career part-time through the National Guard while studying at a top research university on a small campus.

���I wanted to go to a good school, but also in a small, tight-knit community because that is truly the type of school environment where I thrive,��� he said. ���I decided to visit 厙ぴ勛圖 and thought, ���this would be great.������

Combining military background with college for a bright future

Nolan joined the U.S. Army right out of high school in 2011 and from there, served for two years in Germany, in addition to being stationed at Fort Drum in upstate New York for an additional two years. During his service with the U.S. Army military police, he had opportunities to serve as a patrolling officer, investigate traffic accidents, provide ceremonial support for the military community, as well as serve as personal security for high-ranking individuals.

Following his contract ending, he attended a community college in western Washington, planning to specialize in nursing. After a few semesters, he felt that career route wasn���t for him. Relying on his former experience in law enforcement in the armed services, he realized he had a passion for that area of public service. Upon examining options for state schools in Washington and doing a couple of ride-a-longs with civilian officers, he decided to transfer to pursue a degree in social sciences from 厙ぴ勛圖.

���I was friends with individuals who had become police officers and I did a couple of ride-a-longs and it made me realize why I didn���t want to do a full career switch from policing to nursing, since I had really enjoyed law enforcement.��� he said. ���I chose 厙ぴ勛圖 because of the professionalism I experienced with their admissions office and they offered everything I wanted, including a degree I could directly apply to my future career.���

A perfect fit

Nolan said the small campus and class sizes were attractive because it would allow him to better connect with professors and become really invested in his classes. Plus,

his degree in social sciences would provide him with the knowledge and skills suited for law enforcement.

���I grew up in a small town in Montana, so I was looking for an environment similar to that,��� he said. ���I thrive in a small school setting. And with social sciences, between the emphasis in sociology, English and psychology, it is a good degree program that gives you a good idea of how to work with people, developing a better understanding to the sensitivity of other people, and I could really hone my skills for working in a professional environment.���

Using his education for a future in law enforcement

Nolan plans to continue his military service. Currently, he works part time with the Washington Army National Guard, providing critical training to new recruits while still taking classes full-time. After graduation, he plans to either pursue a career in civilian law enforcement or continue a career with the National Guard.

His education from 厙ぴ勛圖, he said, will serve as a true asset in either endeavor.

���I do believe I will want to eventually go into administration and leadership,��� he said. ���I enjoy leading a team, contributing in that way. And the things that I���ve learned at 厙ぴ勛圖 will be beneficial in that area. As an officer, you do a lot of administrative work and function primarily with other people. These are all skills that I���m perfecting, whether it be through English courses, or through sociology and psychology courses, I can use it all in my career.���

He said he loves the fact that his military experience provided him with the discipline and work enthusiasm to perform optimally with his tasks at hand. Prior to his life in the military, he said he struggled in school. But the positive push in the military provided him with a healthy appreciation for work ethic and self identification of goals.

Combined with the things he has learned through his education in the social sciences, he said he feels well prepared for his continued career in the military and law enforcement.

���I���m glad I���m pursuing higher education while I have the opportunity,��� he said. ���I want to make sure my experience and education combines effectively to provide me with the best outlook possible for my future.���

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

RICHLAND, Wash. ��� An elementary statistics in psychology course at Washington State University Tri-Cities partnered with Grace Clinic, a free health clinic in the Tri-Cities, to assess the mental health of its diabetic patients. The clinic now plans to use the data to maintain and improve its methods in meeting patient resources and health needs.

Throughout the fall semester course, the students analyzed the clinic���s diabetic patient A1C score data, which indicates the degree to which patients have their diabetes under control, and used a range of statistical assessments to determine the mental health of patients based on several potential barriers to treatment ��� some of which include age, race, language spoken and gender. They presented their results this month to Mark Brault, Grace Clinic���s chief executive officer, and clinic director Avonte Jackson.

The experience proved beneficial to both the clinic and the students.

���I believe that the students gained a lot of insight from this project ��� 泭into themselves, the field and their community,��� said Janet Peters, clinical assistant professor of psychology and instructor of the course. ���The project also gave them a very marketable skillset related to quantitative literacy, social responsibility and communication skills.���

For the Grace Clinic, the main benefit is that the data provides support for some of the patterns they had been informally observing and the leg work to accomplish the analysis of that data, Peters said.

���Larger health organizations have people to do this kind of thing,��� Brault said. ���We have limited resources for this kind of in-depth analysis. We plan to use this data as we move forward.���

Student findings

Through their analysis, the students found that the clinic was doing an excellent job of creating access to health care. They determined that there was no definitive statistical differences in the observed mental health of their patients based on potential barriers to treatment such as primary language spoken and race.

The students did find, however, that there was a slight negative correlation between age and mental health, meaning that older patients reported slightly lower levels of mental health than younger patients, overall.

During her presentation, student Lindsay Bernesky recommended that the clinic leaders dedicate additional time to educating patients about the mental health services offered.

Impact on Grace Clinic

Both Brault and Jackson said the student presentations were informative and confirmed many of the things that their staff had suspected, but hadn���t had the time to dive into and assess.

���It is nice to have some statistical analysis to confirm many of these things,��� Jackson said.

She also said the clinic plans to follow up on the mental health gap for their elderly patients, and that it has already started to introduce some additional services for that population.

���One of the gaps we recently discovered is that there is limited access to mental health services for Medicare patients,��� she told the students. ���We recently added patients with Medicare to our mental health area,��� which affirms some of the student findings.

Brault said the clinic also is adding additional safety nets and services to support patient mental health throughout their clinic. In addition to seeing a physician, a scheduled health visit might also include seeing a mental health professional.

���It was good to hear that a lot of what we���re doing is working, and that a lot of what we���re putting in place will serve the needs of our patients,��� Brault said.

Real-world benefit to students

Many of the students said they enjoyed the real-world aspect of the course and that it provided a greater understanding of statistical analysis in psychology research.

���I can read through a case study and understand all of the terminology and be able to fully understand the results,��� student Nagat Deng said.

���To know that we took a burden off of them and that we are giving back in that way is amazing,��� student Caitlyn Carroll said.

Student Martha Herrera said she appreciated that the real-world experience was interwoven with regular course material, which allowed students to work as a team.

���Dr. Peters gave us this opportunity to do something that would be beneficial for the community,��� she said. ���I think it is awesome that we have that opportunity here at WSU.���

By Maegan Murray, 厙ぴ勛圖

Washington State University is leading the online implementation of a program aimed at reducing school truancy that could positively impact schools not only across the state, but also across the nation.

The Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students program, also known as WARNS, uses data-driven procedures to track and improve interventions with students. As indicated in the Becca Bill, which requires children from the age of 8 to 17 to attend a public, private or home-based school, unexcused absences may be an early warning sign for unaddressed problems with school failure and dropout rates.

Paul Strand, 厙ぴ勛圖 professor of psychology, Nick Lovrich, WSU Regents professor emeritus, Brian French, professor and director of WSU���s Learning and Performance Research Center and Psychometric Laboratory, and Bruce Austin, research associate in educational psychology and the LPRC, have worked since 2014 to evaluate and refine the Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students program, also known as WARNS.

The program was developed in 2008 to assess students on a scale of six needs that have been linked to truancy, delinquency and/or dropping out of school: aggression-defiance, depression-anxiety, substance abuse, peer deviance, family environment and school engagement. Within the program, schools can use the data to develop and implement a plan for at-risk students through school community truancy boards to help prevent and/or correct student behavior.

WSU���s recent evaluation of the program supports using the WARNS as a global screening assessment of risks and needs, citing its reliability and validity. The evaluation was published in SAGE Publications this spring.

���A critical component to the use of scores for decisions about youth is building this line of evidence,��� French said.

When children stop going to school, Strand said it can have a substantial effect on their attitude and success in school.

���What happens is kids fell behind in their credit accumulation and when they get to be a sophomore or junior, it starts to feel like a lost cause,��� he said. ���We want to try to identify truancy problems as early as possible because the less days that kids go to school, the less well they do. It is true that kids that go to school regularly may still struggle, but they struggle less than kids that don���t go.���

WARNS program now available online to schools

WSU���s Learning and Performance Research Center houses the online implementation of the assessment, which is offered to individual high schools and middle schools for $275 per year plus a $1 charge for each student assessed. Districts can also sign up for a subscription for $500 for both middle school and high school WARNS plus a $1 charge for each student assessed. The costs of the program are to ensure the technical integrity and continued development of the assessments.

Strand said he and his colleagues are excited to be in the stage of online implementation because the resource is invaluable for schools across the state.

���We are in a position now where schools can use this,��� he said. ���We want to get the word out about how to use this system. We think the cost is minimal compared to the benefit that both schools and students could experience.

For more information on the assessment, including how to get started using WARNS, visit .

The WSU researchers are also developing programs for elementary schools, as signs of delinquent behavior can begin at early as fifth-grade, Strand said.

���Where truancy really begins to show a problem is about seventh-grade, but even in the fifth- and sixth-grade, you can start to predict who the kids are who will have problems,��� he said.

The team���s research for the WARNS program was supported by $150,000 and $98,000 grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, a $21,400 grant from the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, a $25,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Priority Spokane and a high-risk, high-reward grant from the WSU College of Education.

���These funds help support the development of the Platform for Supporting Successful Outcomes, on which WARNS resides,��� French said.

Use across the state and nation

Currently, approximately 80 schools across the state are using the platform, in addition to a school district in the state of Georgia. Schools in California, Ohio and Connecticut have also expressed interest, Strand said.

���Schools in Spokane County, for example, experienced increased graduation rates, of those that were using it,��� Strand said. ���Now, we���re working with a group that is part of WSU���s Learning and Performance Research Center to put the whole program into an online platform, with the help of WSU���s Social and Economic Sciences Research Center. Students can take the assessment and get immediate feedback. We���re also making it very affordable so schools have the means to access this resource.���