Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect

circle of hands representing diversity
Members of the lab are committed to providing an inclusive learning environment where diversity is valued and we support one another. We embrace a broad view of diversity as including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability and disability, socioeconomic status, age, first-generation college attending status, national origin, Veteran status, and many other aspects of culture. We encourage applications from students belonging to groups that have been historically underrepresented in the field of psychology.

We support the University of Southern Mississippi’s values encouraging diversity and equal opportunities throughout our community. These values are expressed in the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement, as well as through the Diversity and Inclusion page.

In practice, we aim to:
  • Foster open-mindedness, encouraging multiple ways of thinking to promote creativity, innovation, and tolerance
  • Maximize opportunities for collaboration by maintaining an environment where everyone feels safe and welcome
  • Engage in ongoing development in our awareness of diversity issues while respecting that we are all at different places in this process
  • Promote equitable educational advancement through mentoring
  • Recognize that the barriers faced by diverse groups were created by a history of structural and institutional discrimination and that eliminating barriers to inclusion and equality is vital to a well-functioning society
  • Support the psychological health and well-being of our diverse community
Information about offices at the University of Southern Mississippi focused on diversity and inclusion can be found here.

This statement is a work in progress, and we welcome any feedback.

Resources for Applicants From Historically Underrepresented Groups

We recognize that applicants to graduate programs vary considerably in their access to knowledgeable faculty mentors. Some have had outstanding mentoring; others have had little mentoring from faculty familiar with counseling psychology and may be confused about the application process or how graduate faculty evaluate applications. For that reason, we have compiled this collection of resources to help students from historically underrepresented groups successfully navigate the graduate application process.

Applying to graduate school: This page provides a helpful starting point for understanding the graduate application process. Like it says in the subtitle, finding the right fit is important.

Psychology Grad School Wiki: The Psychology Grad School Wiki is a place for faculty hoping to recruit graduate students can post descriptions of their labs or programs. It may give you some options to consider when applying.

Understanding counseling psychology: This lab is part of the Counseling Psychology programs at the University of Southern Mississippi, so it is helpful for applicants have a basic understanding of counseling psychology and why it is a good fit for them. You can find a brief description of counseling psychology here and learn more by visiting the Society of Counseling Psychology.

Faculty advice on emailing professors: First impressions count, and email is often one’s first contact with faculty. Here are some tips for emailing faculty.

APA resources for students: The American Psychological Association offers a number of resources for students, some of which are tailored to students from underrepresented groups.

gradPSYCH blog: Written by graduate students for graduate students, the gradPSYCH blog often has helpful tips related to many aspects of graduate school.

Check out our FAQ: You will find answers to many of the most common questions we receive from applications on our FAQ page. Reviewing these before applying is often helpful.

Resources for Current Students From Historically Underrepresented Groups

There are many resources available to students from underrepresented groups at the University of Southern Mississippi and in the Hattiesburg community. Here are a few worth highlighting:

Go Gold Diversity Fellowship: The School of Psychology sponsors the Go Gold Diversity Fellowship with support from the Graduate School.

Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement: The University’s Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement supports the development of historically underserved communities, advocates for institutional and cultural change, and promotes a supportive and inclusive community.

International Student and Scholar Services: International Student and Scholar Services provides support to international students.

LGBTQ+ resources: Part of the Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, PRISM supports LGBTQIA+ initiatives on campus, and the Spectrum Center is a popular resource in Hattiesburg.

McNair Scholars: The McNair Scholars program seeks to increase the number of doctoral degrees among minority and underrepresented groups.
Anger and Personality Lab
The lab is directed by Dr. Eric R. Dahlen, and the content of this website represents his views (see disclaimer). Graduate students in Counseling Psychology and undergraduate Psychology majors at the University of Southern Mississippi study overt and relational aggression/victimization, dysfunctional anger, college student mental health, and related areas.