Dr. Martin Dawson
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Phone: (325) 793-4618
Email: dawson.martin @ mcm.edu
Dr. Dawson and Dr. Swenson discuss Freud on the radio show “The Professors”

Ph.D., Texas Tech University
M.A., Abilene Christian University
B.A., Trinity University

My passion for Psychology started as a college sophomore when I took a course in child development. I had experience working with children in a summer camp setting, so I knew I enjoyed kids. However, that class opened my eyes to many of the issues and ideas that I still find fascinating today, such as the way nature and nurture work together to shape each person’s unique developmental  path.

Another major passion which has shaped my professional development has been my love for China. Upon graduation from Trinity University in 1986, I went to China for 2 years.  Later as doctoral student in educational psychology at Texas Tech University, I received a Boren Fellowship to study Chinese. And after completing my doctorate, I spent 7 more years in China. In total, I have spent 10 years there doing things ranging from teaching to studying, to running a couple of businesses (including a Chinese restaurant), and engaging in some small scale community development projects.  It has been a few years since I have been back, but I am still looking at possibilities for joint research. I am sure I will find myself back there again.

Here at McMurry, I tend to teach the “normal” courses — things like human development, social psychology, and learning. I also teach courses related to families and parenting (I hold a Masters degree in marriage and family therapy, and two years of my doctorate were actually in family studies).

Currently I am involved in both my own research and with collaborative research with undergraduates. My own work is a joint research and mentoring program at a local middle school here in town.  I call that “my own research” — in fact I am being helped by a group of students from McMurry’s servant leadership program. Together we are studying the transition to middle school from the perspective of the students themselves. In addition to this, I am involved with a number of students who are working on developing their own original research projects for their senior theses.

I occasionally manage to have a life away from school — and perhaps it’s no surprise that there is quite a bit of overlap in my professional and personal life. I am happily married to my wife Lucy (for 16 years), and we have 3 children Timothy (11), Philip (9) and Miriam (7).  We do all the normal family things such as soccer, cub scouts and family pets (2 dogs, 2 rabbits, 3 fish, and a cat). In addition to this we have a piece of land where I play with my latest toy — a 40 hp Chinese tractor. 

Last but not least, as a family we are actively involved in Wylie United Methodist Church. Currently Lucy and I teach the college and career Sunday School class and host a college and career fellowship as well.
 

Listen to Dr. Schneller on the radio show “The Professors”

Dr. Schneller holds the position of Assistant Professor in the McMurry Department of Psychology. He is also a licensed psychologist. He obtained the B.A. in psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1988. He attended the Counseling Psychology graduate program at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, from which he received the M.A. in 1990 and the Ph.D. in 1993. He worked for 12 years as a licensed psychologist at the counseling services of the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville prior to coming to McMurry University in 2005.

Dr. Schneller teaches a variety of psychology courses including Introduction to Psychology, Personality Theories, Psychological Tests and Measures, Physiological Psychology, Psychology and Christianity, Senior Seminar, and Psychology Internship. He is the faculty advisor for Psi Chi (the national honor society in psychology) and Tri Psy, the psychology student club.

What matters most to me: I strive to always keep God at the center of my life. My love for my family, my service to my church, and my service to the students of McMurry all take on proper perspective when I am in right relationship with Christ.

What I like best about teaching: I love getting to know my students and watching their lives be transformed during their college experience at McMurry. I try to bring an interactive approach to the classroom because I believe learning works best when students are actively engaged rather than passively listening.

My favorite quote: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Dr. John-Eric Swenson
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Phone: (325) 793-3857
Email: swenson.johneric @ mcm.edu
Dr. Swenson and Dr. Dawson discuss Freud on the radio show “The Professors”
Dr. Swenson discusses the bytstander effect on “The Professors”

Ph.D., University of Memphis
B.S., M.S., Abilene Christian University

Dr. John Eric Swenson III holds the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at McMurry. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of Texas. He earned a B.S. in Agricultural Business from Abilene Christian University (ACU) in 1989 and was in the banking industry for approximately five years prior to returning to graduate school. He earned a M.S. in Clinical-Counseling Psychology from ACU in 1998. After obtaining his M.S. at ACU, he worked at Abilene State School for one year in the psychology department. He attended the Counseling Psychology doctoral program at the University of Memphis, and he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Memphis in 2002. He completed an American Psychological Association-approved residency in Clinical Psychology at the University Of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Child Guidance Center in San Antonio. Prior to coming to McMurry in 2005, he was in private practice in New Braunfels, Texas. Currently, Dr. Swenson is President-elect for the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, an organization consisting of approximately 2,000 mental health professionals from all fifty states and numerous countries throughout the world.

Dr. Swenson teaches a variety of psychology courses including Introduction to Psychology, Psychology and Christianity, Senior Seminar, Psychology Internship, Abnormal Psychology, Child-Adolescent Abnormal Psychology, and Clinical-Counseling Psychology. His research interests include counseling ethics, and his passion relates to anything involving the integration of Christianity and psychology. Outside of the classroom, he is very involved with the McMurry Prayer Initiative.

What matters most to me: My relationship with God. Family – my wife, Rhonda, my son, John Eric IV, and last but not least our dog, Cimmaron. Good friends.

What I like best about teaching: The students. I love getting to know my students. It is a thrill to see students grow while at McMurry, particularly when it comes to their Christian character.

My favorite quote: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matthew: 22: 37-40)

Dr. Yelena Kosheleva
Phone: (325) 793-3899
Email: kosheleva.yelena @ mcm.edu

M.A., Ph.D., University of Nebraska
M.A., Voronezh State University

Dr. Kosheleva is originally from Russia and she has her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is a cognitive scientist whose research includes topics such as memory and language. Dr. Kosheleva’s interests include research in the science of teaching and learning, including effective curriculum design, technology in education, assessment of student learning, and student motivation. She teaches several classes at McMurry University, including Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods (basic and advanced), Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Language Acquisition Theories. She has experience in advising students going to graduate schools in psychology and enjoys helping her advisees with essay, CV, and statement writing.
 

Mr. James Finley
Email: jfinley @ mcm.edu