Psychology Graduate Student Association
The goal of the University of Tennessee Psychology Graduate Student Association (PGSA) is to bring together students from across the department working with a diverse faculty and with a variety of interests to improve the academic and social climate from within. In addition to fundraising to support student travel, professional development, guest speakers, and other academic activities, PGSA plans social events for all students in the department. These vary from year to year, but in the past have included tailgate parties and grouped seats for football games and other sporting events, hiking and camping trips in the Smokies, BBQs and cookouts, and much more, not to mention our monthly “happy hours” at local pubs.
More than just a social organization, PGSA is here to help you navigate Knoxville, your graduate program, your department, the university, and grad school in general. We also proudly serve our fellow graduate students as a liaison to the faculty and administration, both in the department and out. If you have any concerns or suggestions, please contact any of us directly or submit something anonymously via the portal at the bottom of this page. You can also find out about upcoming events on our Facebook page. As always – Go Vols!!!
Meet the executive board of PGSA
Flynn Kelly-Brunyak, President
As a second-year clinical psychology student, I am dedicated to researching adolescent suicide prevention, antibullying initiatives, and parent-child relationships under the mentorship of Dr. Chris Elledge. Coming from a non-traditional, disadvantaged background, I bring a unique perspective to my role as President of the Psychology Graduate Student Association, now in my second year serving in the PGSA. My goal is to help fellow students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, acclimate to rigorous academic environments, build a strong community, and access valuable resources. When not immersed in research or community-building, you can find me exploring the outdoors as a novice rock hound or spending time with my husband and our three dogs – a sassy Rat Terrier, a sweet German Shepherd, and our newest addition, Hank. Welcome to our community! Let’s make this an incredible year for everyone.
Tori Huggins, Vice President
I am a second-year counseling psychology student working under Dr. Jacob Levy on the Sport Performance Optimization Research Team (SPORT). My primary research interests focus on collegiate student-athlete well-being and relational health as well as systemic barriers within the collegiate athletics environment that harm student-athletes’ sense of belonging, safety, identity and autonomy. My purpose for serving on the Executive Board of PGSA is to facilitate stronger relational connectivity among current students and help steer the organization to best fit our students’ needs. In my free time, I enjoy watching Tennessee games, pursuing a (very unrealistic) dream of becoming a scratch golfer and of course, striving to become the weekly trivia team champion with my cohort every Tuesday evening.
Emma Poole, Social Chair
I’m a second-year clinical psychology student in the Relationship Aggression and Addictive Disorders Lab, working under the mentorship of Dr. Stuart. My research interests center on how individual-level factors, particularly emotion regulation and substance use, contribute to cycles of conflict and intimate partner violence in romantic relationships. As PGSA Social Chair, I’m excited to create opportunities that foster connection, community, and fun within the department. Outside of psychology, I love spending time with friends, watching sports, exploring new restaurants, swimming, and ice skating.
Taylor Shackelford, Treasurer
As a second-year Experimental Psychology PhD student in the Cognitive and Developmental Sciences concentration, I work with Dr. Jessica Hay to investigate how early sensory experiences impact language acquisition in infants and toddlers, with a specific interest in identifying physiological measures for indexing language learning and processing. I’m passionate about the value of academia and hope to build a strong community through PGSA so that all students can equally reap these benefits. When I’m not in school, I enjoy being outdoors working on my plant and bird species identification, hiking, or swimming. I hope to have a great year fostering community in our psychology graduate programs!
Araceli Garcia, Secretary
I’m a first-year PhD student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, working with Dr. Alejandro Vazquez in the THRIVE Lab. My research and clinical interests center on addressing mental health disparities in underserved communities by adapting, implementing, and expanding culturally responsive interventions. Outside of academics, I enjoy reading, engaging in arts and crafts, discovering new coffee shops, and spending time with my three cats.