Jillian Burgess, a senior Psychology major from Rochester, N.Y., has been named Student of the Month for February by the Office of Residence Life. Ms. Burgess is being recognized for her involvement in a wide variety of both academic programs and campus activities.
As a Psychology major, Burgess’ areas of research interest include behavior analysis, decision making, and deviant behavior and she has utilized the opportunity to explore these areas of interest in a number of her academic endeavors. Currently, Burgess is working on her honors thesis titled, “The Effect of the Actor-Observer Bias on Moral Decision Making” as part of her invitation into the honors psychology senior seminar.
In April 2014, Burgess’ independent study, under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Dyck of the Department of Psychology titled “Examining Association Between Digital Calendar Use and Prospective Memory,” was selected to represent Fredonia in the Innovative Exploration Forum in Albany.
When Burgess isn’t focusing on her own academic success, she is paving the way for the success of fellow students as a Psychology tutor in the Learning Center, effectively communicating the concepts of psychology and offering unique learning styles for students who need more assistance than just attending class.
As an honor student with a 3.64 GPA and Deans List recognition seven semesters in a row, Burgess has been inducted into Psi Chi Honors Society and has received many awards such as the Kurt and Sibylla Sonnefeld Memorial Award, the Honorable Mention Psychology Merit Award and the Donald Lehr Teaching Award.
To further accredit her leadership experience, Burgess serves as the Vice President of Impact Assessment for the Fredonia Enactus team, providing input to groups on how to make their projects more effective and how to better utilize their team members. In January 2014, Burgess represented Enactus on a study abroad trip to Belize, carrying out her leadership capabilities overseas. She has also contributed her leadership skills as the Vice President of Scholarship for the Sigma Kappa sorority.
Burgess takes great value into the relationships she’s established here at Fredonia. “I owe so much of who I am to my peers who have inspired me and supported me.” Burgess said, “Through my sorority Sigma Kappa and Encatus, I have met amazing people who have become my best friends and have taught me so much. I know that I would not be where I am in my life today if it wasn’t for the faculty at (SUNY) Fredonia who have dedicated their time to help me grow. So many of my professors have gotten to know me and have pushed me to become a better student and individual. I am grateful for the close relationships I have made with professors and they have made my experience here at Fredonia much more meaningful.”
When asked about her plans after graduation, Burgess said that she wants to go to graduate school for behavior analysis. “I have not yet decided if I will go right to grad school or take some time to get work experience first. My career goal is to work with at risk youth who have behavioral issues.”
