Psychology Awards

The Covenant College Department of Psychology annually presents several awards to recognize student excellence in academics, research, and Christian service, and the department's efforts to promote diversity and unity. These awards, established in 2020, are supported entirely by donations from alumni and others in honor or memory of three faculty members whose long-time commitments to the college and the department still benefit every member of our community every day.

 

The Douglas R. Sizemore Memorial Psychology Statistics Award recognizes an outstanding psychology major who has demonstrated extraordinary interest and achievement in statistics and/or research methods, both inside and outside of the classroom. Douglas Reece Sizemore (1947-2017) taught at Covenant College for 35 years, the first 8 as an Assistant Professor of Psychology before founding, developing and chairing the college’s Information and Computer Science Department (in which he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1982 and Professor in 1987). Professor Sizemore earned a B.A. in Chemistry from Taylor University (1969), a M.A. in Religious Studies from Denver Seminary (1972), and a Ph.D. in Applied Statistics and Research Methodology from the University of Northern Colorado (1974). Between 1974 and 2009, Dr. Sizemore taught many courses, and instructed thousands of Covenant students in psychology and other disciplines to understand and to use statistical methods for research and numerical reasoning.

 

The Kevin J. Eames Memorial Christian Service Award recognizes a psychology major who has demonstrated extensive and effective service to others, as was exemplified by Professor Eames throughout his life and career. Kevin James Eames (1960-2019) served Covenant College in numerous roles between 2003-2019, including as Associate Professor and Director of the Kaleo Center (2003-2007), Director of Institutional Effectiveness (2005- 2018), and Chair of the Psychology Department (2010-2019). He was also very active in community service. Dr. Eames joined the Department of Psychology in 2010 at the rank of Associate Professor, and was promoted to Professor in 2012, teaching a wide range of courses across his tenure. Professor Eames earned a B.A. in History from Florida State University (1982), and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University (1991 and 1999, respectively). His scholarship resulted in numerous articles, chapters, reviews, and professional presentations, as well as a 2016 book titled Cognitive Psychology of Religion.

 

To graduate from Covenant College, every student must complete a guided Capstone project (formerly known as the Senior Integration Project, or SIP). The Psychology Capstone, a written paper and oral presentation, reflects the culmination of a rigorous and mentored program of reflection, faithful learning, and research designed to demonstrate the student’s understanding of a current issue or topic in psychology and Christian worldview thinking. Each year the department confers the Phillip G. Wright Honorary Award for the Outstanding Psychology Capstone Project to a student who produces an exceptional demonstration of disciplinary competence and faith-learning integration. The award is named for Professor Phillip Leslie Grant Wright, who devoted more than three decades as a faculty member at Covenant College to educating students, including guiding hundreds of senior psychology students in their scholarly integration projects. Dr. Wright’s extensive expertise and instruction in clinical and counseling areas of psychology have been particularly valued. Professor Wright earned his B.Sc. in mathematics from McGill University (1969), the M.A. in social psychology from the University of Toronto (1971), and then returned to McGill to earn the Ph.D. in clinical psychology (1977). He was appointed to the faculty of Covenant College in 1984 as an Associate Professor, having previously served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Wright was promoted to the rank of Professor at Covenant College in 1989 and retired from the faculty in 2018, although he continued to be active in teaching and clinical work beyond that date.

 

The Michael J. Rulon Honorary Award for the Outstanding Psychology Student recognizes a psychology major whose cumulative undergraduate performance in the areas of academics, scholarship, and service has been exceptional. The award is named in honor of Dr. Rulon, a general-experimental psychologist and longtime chair of the Psychology Department, whose own commitment to and contributions in the areas of academics and instruction, scholarship and service were exemplary. Professor Rulon earned the B.A. in Literature from Westmont College (1962), M.A. in Psychology from Humboldt State University (1966), and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the Ohio State University (1975). Appointed as an Associate Professor of Psychology by Covenant College in 1975, Dr. Rulon invested 39 years into teaching and mentoring students, providing innovative instruction in a wide range of psychology subjects, including those (e.g., learning, sleep, physiological psychology) closest to his own research interests. Dr. Rulon is currently enjoying an active retirement that includes some teaching and ministry at a local prison.

 

The Psychology Diversity Award: All people have equal standing as image-bearers, loved by God, and created with wondrous diversity. In obedience to scripture and in recognition of our increasingly multicultural discipline, we are committed to respecting differences, to listening and understanding, to speaking for those who are oppressed, to acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly (Micah 6:8). Each year, the Department of Psychology recognizes a psychology major who best exemplifies the department’s values of diversity and unity with The Psychology Diversity Award. Commitment to multicultural competency and equity may be evidenced by the student’s academic, research, and/or service activities.

View the list of award recipients  

Details: Each annual recipient of these honors receives a plaque and a monetary award ($100, applied to the student’s account, or a book of equal value) and has her/his name engraved on a perpetual plaque displayed in the psychology department. The Eames Award is made annually to psychology students who are nominated (by self or others). Students who will attend the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) meeting for course credit are eligible for the Eames Award, which also provides funds that are applied to the awardee’s account to offset laboratory fees for the SEPA course (PSY310). A call for nominations for the Eames Award will be distributed late in each Fall semester. A call for nominations for the Diversity Award will be distributed late in each Spring semester. All psychology majors will automatically be considered as nominees for the Sizemore Award and the Rulon Award, with no nomination letter required; however, the award committee may request additional information from nominees as needed for any award. For all awards, preference will be given to upper-class students and to first-time recipients of departmental awards.

Are you interested in recognizing student achievements and in honoring Professors Rulon, Wright, Sizemore and Eames? These awards are supported entirely though gifts by alumni and other friends of the psychology department. Contact the Development Office at development@covenant.edu or visit our Ways to Give page to support Covenant College with your gifts and to designate the portion of your contributions that you wish to be used by the psychology department for student awards.