Avila Now

Brandon Brewster has always been interested in research. He earned his BA in 2018 from Avila and returned to complete his Master of Science in Psychology in 2020. He is currently a 2nd Year Graduate Student in the Experimental Psychology – Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Saint Louis University. Why was Avila and its psychology program...

Erick Mojica has a tremendous passion for working with young athletes and teaching clients how to exercise and explore the mind-body connection. He wanted to have a deeper understanding of his field and found Avila’s Master of Science in Kinesiology. “Choosing a small school master’s program was ‘huge’ for me because I could interact with...

Joseph Grindstaff was a non-traditional student working as an Assistant Personal Training Director with several years of experience in the field and specialty certifications. “When I found Avila’s Kinesiology program it was like a stroke of good luck,” said Grindstaff.  Grindstaff graduated from Avila University in 2019 with a Master of Science in Kinesiology. He...

“Social Workers and nurses work closely in any medical setting and we felt it would be useful for them to better understand each other’s roles when it came to caring for patients.  We also saw this as an opportunity to apply knowledge and increase team-building skills,” said Avila Assistant Professor and Director of Field Education,...

Women have been battling an uphill climb into leadership positions for decades and are slowly making headway, but gender equality remains an issue. Women are still fighting against gender pay disparities, a lack of opportunities and promotions against their male counterparts, and a missing voice at the table.  Women have faced harsh setbacks during the...

Lea Morvan is an international student who transferred to Avila to complete her Master of Science in Psychology. She wanted a smaller school environment and was drawn into Avila’s MSP program because it offers a variety of research opportunities. These experiences are critical for further research and teaching opportunities as she plans to pursue her...

Danielle Sloop, Master of Arts in Education ‘22, was looking for a career change when she found Avila’s MAEd geared toward working professionals. “By offering evening and online courses, I could easily take classes that fit my schedule. The program also offered teaching certification within two years, which appealed to me, as I was eager...

Matt Arnet is the Clinical Director of Outpatient Services at KVC Behavioral Healthcare. He chose Avila University to earn his Master of Science in Counseling Psychology. “I was looking for a smaller program where I could get to know the professors and other students. My undergraduate degree came from a very large state school where...

Two Avila University psychology graduate students, Eleanor Dick and Lindsay Wing won awards at the 2022 Great Plains Students Psychology Convention held on March 15 & 16 in Emporia, Kansas. This convention brings psychology students together to exchange ideas, discuss relevant topics, and gain experience presenting their research. Avila Professor of Psychology Jordan Wagge, Ph.D.,...

Marie Payne, MSOD ‘18 is Director of Talent Management and Innovation and leads a team of Organizational Development Practitioners at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. She is a certified Change Management Practitioner and holds two leadership coaching certifications from UC Berkeley and the Kansas Leadership Center, as well as an ACC credential from the...