Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.
The College of Education and Human Development faculty in Educational Psychology have chosen
Beth Hosek
as the
2021 Outstanding Student in Educational Psychology – Learning, Cognition, and Motivation
Q & A with Outstanding Student in Educational Psychology – Learning, Cognition, and Motivation, Beth Hosek:
What part of your Mason experience are you most proud of?
I am absolutely most proud of my involvement in research. Not only do I feel like I have grown professionally through the experience, but my curiosity and love of Educational Psychology has flourished. The most validating part is that my work has the potential to have lasting and positive impacts on the experiences of learners.
Editor’s Note: Beth just won an award for her research at the 2021 CEHD Student Research Symposium!
What are your future plans, goals, and dreams?
My end goal is to stay in academia. I want to support and educate future generations of Educational Psychologists, as well as continue to contribute knowledge and growth to the field through research in motivation.
What is your favorite memory from your time in the College of Education and Human Development?
I’ve had a number of positive moments where I’ve had the opportunity to share my work with others, as well as learn about the work and interests of other individuals. My favorite moment in this CEHD program, however, was definitely being able to present some of my work at GAPSA’s Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference this year. Not only was it a joy to share my work with others, but I had a number of wonderful conversations from which I learned an incredible amount.
What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students?
Have patience with yourself, and don’t be afraid to let your curiosity and ambition shine! You got this!
Would you like to give any shout-outs to those who supported you along the way?
If I thanked everyone who really supported me, I’d have to write an entire model. Dr. Anastasia Kitsantas and Dr. Stephanie Dailey have done so much for my professional and intellectual growth throughout this program. My parents have been supportive, as they always are. Most of all, my fiance Scott and my friends Dana, Kayla, Matthew, and Alex have had my back through the entirety of a taxing and difficult year and helped me have the perseverance to see my program through.