Announcements

 

Dr. Dionne Stephens has been awarded the 2009 Carolyn Payton Early Career Award by the American Psychological Association (APA). Awarded through Division 1- Section 1: Psychology of Black women, this prestigious award recognizes an individual's contributions to the field of the psychology of women as a scholar, teacher, mentor, and leader. Thus, selection requires evidence of excellence in teaching and mentoring, research and scholarship, and professional leadership in the area of the psychology of women.

 

Dr. Stephens was selected for her outstanding research exemplified in her book chapter titled "Examining African American Female Adolescent Sexuality within Mainstream Hip Hop Culture using a Womanist-Ecological Model of Human Development." Her research examines sexual health disparity issues in Black and Hispanic populations, with emphasis on the role of gender and ethnic/ racial identity development in sexual scripting processes.  She has published in numerous academic journals as diverse as Sex Roles, The Journal of African American History, Sexuality &Culture, and Family Relations.

A popular, award-winning teacher, Dr. Stephens received the 2008 Blackboard International Program’s Greenhouse Exemplary Course Award and the University of Georgia’s Gwendolyn Brooks O’Connell Award for Outstanding Teaching. Courses she regularly teaches include Psychology of Women, Psychology of Health, Psychology of Adolescence and Race, Gender & Sexuality in Hip Hop. In addition, Dionne has taught the APA’s Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs funded Psychology Research Initiative Mentorship Experience (PRIME) class for the past four years. This competitive course prepares select racial/ ethnic minority undergraduate students for graduate school, while providing a mentored research experience.

 

Outside academia, Dionne is a very active member of her community.  She is a district representative on the Equal Opportunities Board of Miami- Dade County and has lead workshops for such groups as the Urban League of Broward County, Hispanic Unity, YWCA of Miami- Dade County and Hands on Miami.”