Inspired by Converse Faculty, Alumna Earns PhD and Becomes Psychology Professor

While pursuing both a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology here at Converse, Elizabeth Powell Dunaway ‘10 was also working on several integrative research projects with faculty.

This type of personally-mentored research is rare at the undergraduate level but a hallmark of the Converse education. “I gained so much from all of the opportunities I received from the department, including discovering my passion for psychology and research,” she said.

Elizabeth has presented her projects at various conferences, including the sixth annual South Carolina Upstate Research Symposium, and has won the most outstanding presentation award on two occasions.

“The professors are some of my favorite people in the world—they really prepared me for graduate school, and to an extent, for life in the real world.”

After graduating from Converse, Elizabeth leveraged her research experiences to help her enroll in the Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences PhD program at Auburn University in Alabama.  She is currently finishing her dissertation, in addition to teaching undergraduate courses in psychology at Auburn University and LaGrange College.

She has recently signed a contract to work at Dalton State College as an assistant professor of Psychology. Elizabeth was inspired by her professors here at Converse: “The professors are some of my favorite people in the world—they, along with others, really prepared me for graduate school, and to an extent, for life in the real world.”