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
Dasha Ogle – President
As a first-year Clinical Psychology PhD student working with Dr. Moore, I am eager to delve into the program. My research interests revolve around suicidality, harmful behavior, and substance use and abuse. As an immigrant, I am particularly interested in the experiences of immigrant communities and whether immigration status and the overall sense of belonging or the lack thereof influence the variables of interest stated above. In my personal life, I find joy and fulfillment in my role as a mother to a teenage daughter and the caretaker of a husky, a domestic longhair, and a blue parakeet. My interests and previous experiences as a yoga teacher encourage daily yoga and meditation practice and shape my holistic approach to life and work. As a leader, I am committed to fostering a community where everyone feels respected, heard, and included. I am always open to suggestions and cannot wait to get to know everyone.
Flynn Kelly-Brunyak – Vice President
As a first-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 Vice President of the Psychology Graduate Student Association. 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 two dogs – a sassy Rat Terrier and a sweet German Shepherd. Welcome to our community! Let’s make this an incredible year for everyone.
Golnaz Forouzandehfar – Treasurer
I am a 3rd year PhD student in Experimental Psychology. Currently, I work on visual perception and how eye movements interact with attention and working memory. I came to the program with clinical psychology background and my future goal is to help clinical populations through combining my clinical and experimental knowledge in research. I joined PGSA with the aim of facilitating the connections between the students and department’s officials. I also enjoy socializing and enhancing my cultural knowledge through interacting with students of different backgrounds.
Emily Brayton – Secretary
I’m a third year Ph.D. student in the Experimental (Social) Psychology program here at UTK! I work in the Affect and Emotion Lab under Dr. Jeff Larsen and primarily focus on researching experiences that produce mixed emotions. For instance, I’m currently working on studies investigating how UTK students feel on their Freshman move-in day as well as their graduation day. I also received my masters degree in the Spring of 2024 after studying how contestants on the reality-competition show Survivor feel after being voted out. When I’m not doing anything psychology related, you can find me spending quality time with my friends, family, and pets (chiweenie + two cats + hedgehog + crested gecko).
Logan Mitchell – Social Chair
I’m a 1st year in the Counseling Psychology department studying with Dr. Gina Owens. My research interests are PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, meaning of life, meaning-making, service-member well-being. In my free time I enjoy running, hiking and camping, reading and playing video games with my friends.