Psychology students develop scientific skills in a liberal arts context through classes, research, and internships.
Psychology
It is our mission to develop effective and confident communicators who will be leaders in science and health-related fields.
Sweet Briar psychology graduates are well ahead of their peers when it comes to research and internship experiences, which are as important for intellectual and personal growth as they are for our curriculum and a student’s résumé. The subject matter of psychology spans both the biological and the social sciences and we encourage each student to develop her scientific skills in the context of a liberal arts education.
Shannon Cotsoradis 1995
- Director, Policy & Strategy | Buffett Early Childhood Fund
- B.S., Psychology | Sweet Briar College, 1995
- M.A., Child Development | Sarah Lawrence College, 1999
- M.P.A., Public Administration | The University of Kansas, 2001
“My roots as an advocate for children and families were really born at Sweet Briar. I would have described myself as shy and a very much a reluctant leader, and I really found my voice at Sweet Briar and have leveraged that throughout my career. And I have devoted a lot of my professional career to helping other people find their voice.”
Jona Cumani 2018
- Graduate Research Assistant | Harvard University
Laboratory for Neuroimaging & Integrative Physiology
- B.S., Psychology | Sweet Briar College, 2018
- M.S., Cognitive Neuroscience | Harvard University, 2021
Jona Cumani has done some serious thinking about life on Mars. As a graduate student studying cognitive neuroscience at Harvard University, she has explored the challenges of bringing human life to the faraway planet. She now has a NASA grant to research the psychological and neurological impact of space travel.
Alexandra DiFeliceantonio 2008
- Assistant Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute | Virginia Tech
- B.S., Psychology | Sweet Briar College, 2008
- Ph.D., Biopsychology | University of Michigan, 2013
Alexandra DiFeliceantonio wants to know what your brain looks like on snack food. An appetive neuroscientist at Virginia Tech, the 2008 Sweet Briar graduate is researching how people react to certain foods and how that reaction affects their eating habits and choices.