The mission of our Student Outreach and Support committee is to promote, encourage, and advocate for the understanding and respect of challenges faced by all identity groups withing the Educational Psychology Department, College of Education and Human Science, the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and the communities within we reside. SOS advocates for culturally informed solutions to the complex issues facing our collective humanity.
Formed in 1972, , the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee (EMAC) is a departmental-sponsored committee that supports students, staff, and faculty of all identities. In 2014, EMAC was renamed “DEMAC” to reflect current diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within the College of Education and Human Sciences and the Department of Educational Psychology and in 2024 it was renamed, “Student Outreach and Support.” The mission of SOS is to assist the department in carrying out its commitment to promote belonging and inclusion for all individuals. SOS supports incoming students as they arrive on campus and begin their graduate studies in EDPS. Related activities include but are not limited to: advocacy, participation in the department hiring processes, community-building, and collaborative research projects.
The SOS executive board is composed of students and a faculty member from each academic program area. SOS membership is voluntary and open to all students, faculty, and staff in EDPS. Anyone can also contact the SOS board and share ideas, feedback or suggestions. The SOS board meets with the departmental chair once-a-month. All SOS correspondences and activities will be distributed across EDPS email listservs.
Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Executive Board Members
Student Chairs
- Co-Chairs: Elia Harper & Paige Hespe
- Vice Co-Chair Secretary: Davianna Daydreamer
- Vice Co-Chair Treasurer: Shamiana Junu
- Vice Co-Chair Outreach Coordinator: Jace Meunier
Faculty chairs
- Dr. Wayne Babchuck (Quantitative, Qualitative, and Psychometric Methods)
- Dr. Mary Zeleny (Developmental and Learning Sciences)
- Dr. Dena Abbott (Counseling Psychology)
- Dr. Heather Hruskoci (School Psychology)
- Dr. Neeta Kantamneni (Inclusive Excellence Chair)
