UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Joseph Brandenburg, doctoral student in school psychology in the College of Education at Penn State, is one of two graduate students who have received the 2022-23 Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship for Penn State Alumni in the Graduate School award. The award recognizes students who have been admitted to the Graduate School at Penn State and who received their undergraduate degree from the University.
Megan Bradson, a doctoral student in psychology in the College of the Liberal Arts, is the other recipient of the award.
Brandenburg received a master of education in school psychology from Penn State in September 2022, a master of science in clinical psychology from Millersville University in July 2019, and a bachelor of arts in psychology with a minor in criminal justice (magna cum laude) from Penn State in 2015.
After the completion of his doctorate in school psychology at Penn State, Brandenburg said he plans to become a faculty member at a research-oriented college institution in a school psychology department. In addition, he plans to do clinical work that would allow him to help students on an individual level while conducting research to develop interventions to help them at a more systemic level. The clinical work he would like to pursue includes psychotherapy and psychological assessment with students.
“I believe that receiving the 2022-23 Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship for Penn State Alumni in the Graduate School is a culmination of all the wonderful mentors and helping hands that I have encountered at Penn State,” said Brandenburg. “It is not a far stretch to say that without these faculty members’ guidance, I would not be in graduate school, let alone pursuing the types of work that I am passionate about. I believe that this award will help me reach my goals by allowing me the financial stability to pursue what I am passionate about this summer. By receiving this award, I will be able to place my focus on creating a dissertation that is meaningful to the field of psychology and emotion regulation.”