Professor Receives CCPPP Award for Excellence in Professional Training (Academic)
(June 6, 2008 - Thunder Bay, ON) Lakehead University's Dr. Josephine Tan, Director of Clinical Training in Psychology and Associate Psychology Professor, is the recipient of the CCPPP Award for Excellence in Professional Training (Academic).
Presented by the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs (CCPPP), this honour recognizes Tan's exemplary efforts and leadership in developing excellence in the science and practice of Psychology among students enrolled in Lakehead's Clinical Psychology program. The nomination was secretly initiated by Psychology graduate students and supported by the Psychology faculty without Dr. Tan's knowledge.
With assistance from her graduate students and fellow faculty, Dr. Tan achieved CPA accreditation for Lakehead's Clinical Psychology program. She was also actively involved in obtaining collaborative, multi-institutional, large-scale funding and equipment to support psychology-related research, and continually highlighted the value of mentoring when teaching students.
"This award is a major honour in the field, which I am delighted to accept on behalf of Lakehead University's Psychology Department," says Dr. Tan. "It is wonderful to look back on the last three years and see how something very positive can develop when people work together. The graduate students were always there to help out, and the faculty were always supportive of these endeavours. This award is a true tribute to our Department - especially to the students who inspire us to improve in our teaching, training, and research methods. One cannot excel as Director of Clinical Training without excellent graduate students."
When asked about the contribution that Dr. Tan has made to Lakehead's Psychology Department and to the overall learning experience, James Brazeau, Masters in Clinical Psychology Student and Research Assistant at Lakehead's Centre for Biological Timing and Cognition says, "It's due to Dr. Tan's tremendous efforts as Director of Clinical Training and as a faculty member that Lakehead's Psychology Department now offers a Clinical Psychology program that is equivalent, if not superior, to those offered at the larger universities." Brazeau also notes that taking one of Dr. Tan's classes does not simply involve learning course material. As her other students have indicated, her teaching approach focuses on growing - both as an individual and as a professional. Graduates believe she models what is expected from professionals in the field. She emphasizes the development of both clinical and research skills in order to evolve into a high-calibre psychologist who is equally competent in both the practice and research of psychological science.
The CCPPP Awards Committee will present Tan with the award at the CPA convention and Annual General Meeting in Halifax on June 11.
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Media: Dr. Tan and James Brazeau can be contacted directly for media interview. Dr. Tan can be reached from 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at 807-343-8168 or 807-346-7751. James Brazeau can be reached at 807-343-8418 or 807-983-3284. For more information, please contact Heather Scott, Communications Officer, 807-343-8177, 807-472-9113, or commun@lakeheadu.ca.
About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for
innovative programs and cutting-edge research. With a main campus located in
Thunder Bay, Ontario and a campus in Orillia, Ontario, Lakehead has over 7,500 students
and 2,000 faculty and staff, and is home to the west campus of the Northern
Ontario School of Medicine. In 2006, Research Infosource Inc. named