Letter of Nomination: Susan E. Dutch, PhD
Westfield State College
Susan E. Dutch, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and Psi Chi advisor at Westfield State College in western Massachusetts. She is an active leader and participant in many organizations. She inspires and models excellence. She has made countless contributions to her students and the scientific community. She continues to provide outstanding service to the Psi Chi chapter and to the institution, which has been fortunate enough to have her for more than 21 years.
Dr. Dutch received her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in 1971 and completed her doctorate from the University in January of 1980, which she began pursuing at the age of 20. She began her teaching career at St. Francis University (1977-1981). She began teaching at Westfield State College in 1981 as an Associate Professor and became full Professor of Psychology in 1988. Her career achievements are outstanding. She has held numerous positions in professional organizations. She was the Eastern Psychological Association's Placement Chair (1983-1984), President of the New England Psychological Association (1987-1989), President-Elect of the Association (1986-1987), and on the Steering Committee (1983-1989). Dr. Dutch held the position of Eastern Regional Vice President of Psi Chi for three years (1987-1990). She was the National Past President of Psi Chi (1991-1993) and President-Elect (1989-1990). She served on the Council of the Teachers of Undergraduate Psychology as the Eastern Regional Coordinator (1992-1995) and has been a Liaison for the Society of the Teaching of Psychology, Division 2 of the American Psychological Association (1999-2002). She has been Program Chair of Division 52, APA (2002) and is currently a board member and Program Chair of the Eastern Psychological Association. This year she became a Fellow of Division 2 of APA.
Dr. Dutch unfailingly makes exceptional contributions to the field of psychology, Psi Chi, the college psychology department and the institution as a whole. She has served on numerous committees, provided service in tenure review, hiring and promotion. She has been the Women's Studies Library Liaison for over 12 years (1990-present). Dr. Dutch is Chair of the WSC Food Drive to benefit the Salvation Army (1988-present) and Chair of the WSC Clothing Drive to benefit New Beginnings, a safe house for survivors of domestic abuse (1990-present). She has served as Psi Chi faculty advisor throughout her entire career at the college (1984-present).
She is an unparalleled Psi Chi advisor. She leads by example, modeling how hard work and giving of your self brings success and growth both to the scientific community and to yourself. Her students learn the value of the science of psychology and the importance of progress in the field. Dr. Dutch does not conceal, but exposes the obstacles that will be encountered in the pursuit of knowledge and adequately prepares her students to rise to the occasion. Susan Dutch has taught above all not to give up and that you too can make a difference. She is a committed teacher with a genuine passion for the science of psychology and stresses the importance of interdisciplinary study. She has taught Cognition, Sensation and Perception, Statistics, Research Methods, Psychology of Women, Cross Cultural Psychology, Psychology of Good and Evil: The Nature Nurture Controversy and Service Learning for Social Justice. Currently, in addition to teaching fulltime, she is working on an extensive cognition study, researching the components of decision-making and the retirement process.
Among her contributions to the scientific community, in addition to grooming psychologists of the future, Dr. Dutch has chaired two symposia on teaching-related issues at Eastern Regional Psychological Association (1999-2000), made over 50 presentations at National and Regional Psychology Conventions and contributed over 75 editorial reviews for various publishers including McGraw Hill, Prentice Hall, ITP, Little Brown, Sage, Allyn and Bacon, for books in Cognition, Perception, Research Methods, Statistics, Psychology of Women and Cross-Cultural Psychology. Over her career she has received numerous awards and grants. Dr. Dutch has been honored with membership to Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi, and Phi Kappa Phi. She received a grant from the National Science Foundation for local course improvement (1981-1982), and three WSC Teaching Grants (one being Service Learning and Partnerships, 1998-1999, one The Role of Silence in High Context Cultures, 1999-2000, and one Writing Across the Curriculum, 1999-2000). She has also received a Campus Compact and American Psychological Association Service Learning Grant (2000-2001).
Dr. Dutch reaches out to each student as an individual. She recognizes each student's potential and strengths. She encourages and inspires each member to excel personally and professionally. She has taken students under her wing and shown them that they are capable, that they can do it, and that she will do everything in her power to help. As Psi Chi faculty advisor, Dr. Dutch goes above and beyond guiding a team very proud to call her coach.