���װ�ʿ

Casey Chamberlin ’25 will graduate with a degree in psychology from Hood College this May—and she already has quite the resume. Chamberlin, a member of the Hood Honors Program, was also a student-athlete on the women’s volleyball team and was named Miss Frederick in 2024.

Earlier this year, she presented her departmental honors project, titled “Assessing school-related anxiety levels among first-generation college students and diverse populations,” at the Maryland Collegiate Honors Conference, where she received the Portz Award for Outstanding Honors Student. The prestigious award recognizes honors students for leadership and academic excellence. Chamberlin won first place out of all the honors programs at four-year institutions throughout Maryland.

“I felt humbled and honored to represent Hood at that level. The recognition has been incredible,” said Chamberlin. “All the hard work I’ve put in here at Hood and the greater Frederick community across four years led me to this award.”

The project also won a Psi Chi Midwestern Psychological Association Regional Research Award, and Chamberlin’s research is already having a real-world impact. Chamberlin collaborated with Sangeeta Gupta, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, to collect data on first-year students at Hood to assess their anxiety levels, motivation and willingness to seek help with academics. 

I encourage students to not just go to class and sit there. Go to those office hours and connect with your professors. They have so much to offer you.

Her findings were utilized by the Office of Student Success to launch a new program called Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), which is now being used to assist students with advising.

“I was able to go through the data, recognize trends and look at the marginalized identity of first-generation college students,” said Chamberlin. “Each student got their own personalized feedback, so they were able to improve their skills before they became at-risk students.”

Originally from New Hampshire, Chamberlin arrived at Hood via the Distinguished Young Women scholarship program. When she arrived on campus, Chamberlin felt an instant connection to the College, and she wasted no time becoming an active member of the Hood community.

“I just absolutely loved it here,” said Chamberlin. “Not only have I met so many incredible friends, but I’ve also met so many professors who have gone the extra mile to help me succeed.”

Chamberlin found many likeminded peers in the Honors Program, where she took advantage of academic and professional development opportunities. She recommends the program for students who are seeking a combination of academic rigor, diverse perspectives and unique extracurricular activities.

“The Honors Program was right for me for so many reasons,” said Chamberlin. “The faculty and directors within the Honors Program provide so much support for students. There are so many cool opportunities you won’t find anywhere else.”

As she prepares to graduate and pursue a master’s degree, Chamberlin encourages incoming Hood students to slow down and take everything in—because four years goes by surprisingly fast. Her number one piece of advice is to forge strong relationships with the faculty.

“Get to know your professors,” said Chamberlin. “The best decision I ever made was working with Professor Gupta on this research project. She, along with my other wonderful professors, completely changed my experience here at Hood. I encourage students to not just go to class and sit there. Go to those office hours and connect with your professors. They have so much to offer you.”