2009-10 Denmark Award Winner
Psi Chi congratulates Harold Takooshian, psychology professor at Fordham University–Lincoln Center (NY), for being selected as the winner of the 2009-10 Psi Chi/Florence L. Denmark Faculty Advisor Award. This prestigious award is presented annually to the one faculty advisor who best achieves Psi Chi’s purpose and has made outstanding contributions to the field of psychology at local, regional, national, and international levels.
The Denmark Award was presented at the APA/Psi Chi Society Convention. Dr. Takooshian will also be honored this October when Dr. Florence Denmark travels to Fordham University to recognize him and this accomplishment. Dr. Takooshian’s deep commitment and enormous involvement with Psi Chi are described in his chapter’s letter of nomination.
Harold Takooshian, PhD, has been on the faculty of Fordham University (NY) since 1975. Inspired by his own legendary teachers like Stanley Milgram and Florence Denmark, he is known internationally for inspiring students in many ways—an innovative teacher, skilled mentor, tireless organizer, and author promoting student excellence. In line with Fordham’s emphasis on “Cura Personalis” (the whole person), he has promoted cocurricular activities as the advisor of the three Psi Chi chapters on Fordham’s three campuses. In 1993, Ruth Cousins described him as “a national treasure.” His past leadership roles include a national officer or President of Psi Chi (1993-2010) and two APA Divisions (International Psychology in 2003, General Psychology in 2007), a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to the USSR (1987-88), and a teacher or consultant with several universities in the USA and abroad. Details on his work appear at http://takooshian.socialpsychology.org or in Marquis’ Who’s Who in America.
2009-10 Denmark Winner's Letter of Nomination
Dear Members of the Florence L. Denmark Faculty Advisor Award Committee:On behalf of the Fordham University–Lincoln Center chapter of Psi Chi, I respectfully nominate Dr. Harold Takooshian to receive the Psi Chi/Florence L. Denmark Faculty Advisor Award in recognition of his 26 years of continuous service as our Psi Chi Faculty Advisor; service to the Psi Chi Society organization, and the many signifi cant contributions he has made to psychology students, and the science of psychology at the state, regional, national, and international levels during the past 36 years.
Contributions as a Faculty Advisor: Dr. Takooshian has assisted our Psi Chi student leadership establish a strong program series that serves Fordham’s preprofessional and graduate-level psychology students. It should be noted that he has sponsored over 100 student publications or conference presentations.
Examples of popular Psi Chi programs included “Graduate Programs in Psychology:” selecting the program, timelines and guidance regarding applications, and a panel of accomplished psychologists who made short presentations and answered student questions. “Conducting Psychological Research” explored why conducting research is important, what is entailed, how to select a professor-research mentor, and how to publish your own psychology research. “Conference Presentations” explained why conference presentations matter, how to maximize your experience, and how to prepare and present. Dr. Takooshian prepared a checklist for students to help them present more successful presentations and scheduled two “mock-conference” presentation times when students could practice their skills in front of a live audience. For the “Celebration of 80 Years of Excellence at Yale University,” Dr. Takooshian taught the importance of reflecting upon the historical achievements in psychology and organizing trips to Yale every 5 years to join in celebrating the founding of Psi Chi.
Dr. Takooshian makes it easy for Psi Chi leaders to serve and for students to participate. He contributes to the quality of our functions by inviting well-known psychologists, whom he has known for many years, to speak or appear on panels at our Psi Chi activities. Fordham psychology students are thus provided with opportunities to meet and interact with exceptional psychologists.
Service as Faculty Advisor and Member of Psi Chi Board of Directors: Dr. Takooshian has served continuously as faculty advisor to the Fordham University–Lincoln Center Psi Chi Chapter since 1983, when he founded its chapter. In addition, he has simultaneously served as the faculty advisor of Fordham University’s Rosehill and Westchester Chapters.
Dr. Takooshian served as the National Psi Chi President in 1998-99. He has also served the Psi Chi Board of Directors, and other committees. He has written numerous articles which have appeared in the Psi Chi Newsletter and Eye on Psi Chi.
Contributions at the State, Regional, National, and International Levels: Perhaps one of the best ways to illustrate the magnitude of Dr. Takooshian’s contributions to Psi Chi is to note that if one searches “Takooshian” on the Psi Chi Society website, such a search produces 47 documents. One will find many articles that he has written to help develop chapters and psychology students, or increase one’s knowledge about Psi Chi. Other documents provide example after example of his decades of service to Psi Chi.
Dr. Takooshian’s major contributions to psychology on a national level include his status as a fellow of the APA, an honor bestowed upon roughly 7% of APA’s 60,000 members, “who have shown evidence of unusual and outstanding contributions or performance in the field of psychology.” He served as 2003 president of APA Division 52, International Psychology and 2007 president of APA Division 1, General Psychology.
For at least two decades on a state and regional level, Dr. Takooshian has been actively involved in organizing and encouraging student participation in two to three psychology conferences that are held in New York City each year. He has served in various leadership roles the New York Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), and currently serves as committee chair. To illustrate the depth his contributions to psychology on a state and regional basis, I wish to mention just a few activities over the past 3 months which he either organized, helped organize, or served in a supporting role: a town hall meeting attended with activist Somaly Mam of Cambodia, author of Speak Truth to Power: One Woman’s Fight Against Human Trafficking; psychologist-historians who are involved in SPSSI-NY’s effort to document “the history of psychology and social issues in New York” spoke at a conference marking the 75th anniversary of the Fordham University’s psychology department, and included a presentation by Dr. Florence L. Denmark, Dr. Takooshian, as well as other well-known psychologists; the 20th Greater NY Conference on Behavioral Research.
Dr. Takooshian has long been engaged in matters concerning international psychology, often through active involvement with the United Nations. Recently, he hosted a 3-hour conference and reception on international psychology at Fordham which featured 15 speakers in three workshops: the United Nations, Publishing International Work, and Involving Students in International Activities. He sponsored World Habitat Day 2008 which featured two forums and a luncheon at the United Nations and Fordham. The 2nd annual Psychology Day at the United Nations off ered a full day of free activities for students and professionals.
I consider it an honor to nominate Dr. Harold Takooshian to receive the Psi Chi/Florence L. Denmark Faculty Advisor Award.
Respectfully,
Kathleen Schmid Koltko-Rivera
Fordham University–Lincoln Center
Psi Chi Chapter President