Michael DePaul (’13)

Michael DePaul began working in the Child Study Center as a sophomore, joining Dr. Alysia Blandon’s Family and Child Development Lab.  As a Psychology major and Human Development and Family Studies minor in Schreyer Honors College, Michael knew he needed research experience, but didn’t expect to enjoy it so much!  Michael began by assisting with lab visits and data collection, and then became a member of a coding team where he trained others on how to code heart rate data.  He used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development for his honor’s thesis.  Michael is interested in how paternal involvement with children and father-child relationship quality affects children’s emotion regulation in middle childhood.  After graduation, Michael would like to complete his master’s degree in social work and possibly become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®.  Michael credits the graduate students he has worked with for providing him with invaluable support and guidance, and states, “working under graduate students is something every undergraduate should do.”  Michael also had the opportunity to become a Friendship Group leader at the CSC and cited this experience as one of his best experiences at Penn State.

We wish him the best in all of his future endeavors!