faculty focus

Psychology Professor Jennifer Hughes Named Charles A. Dana Professor

BY SUKAINAH ABID ’23

“I felt so honored,” says Jennifer Hughes, upon hearing the news she had received the Charles A. Dana professorship. “It was a surprise to receive such a renowned distinction, and I know I join an impressive list of recipients. It’s also nice to be recognized in this way for my work at Agnes Scott.”

Hughes has long been known by faculty and students for her love of teaching, her dedication to her students and the impressive research she’s conducted in her 25 years of working at Agnes Scott College. The Agnes Scott College Board of Trustees bestows the The Charles A. Dana professorship upon faculty who are creative teachers, engage their students, develop innovative programs and courses and produce excellent scholarship. Hughes, who says she had no idea that she was being considered returned to campus from her sabbatical with a new distinction added to her list of accomplishments. Coming from a long line of family members who were academics, Hughes says one of the best parts of receiving this distinction was giving her father the news.

“When I told him about it, he was thrilled,” says Hughes. “He said he was proud of me and the work I was doing at Agnes Scott.”

Along with recognition of the professor’s talent and hard work in their field, the Charles A. Dana professorship also comes with an annual research grant.

Both in and out of the classroom, Hughes has conducted research throughout her career and has a particular interest in the psychology of couples. Her dissertation was about the types of dual-income couples. In addition to her research on couples, she also examines the psychological and physical effects of commuting to and from work and positive psychology. She is hoping to use some of the stipend toward her current research project, which focuses on couple privilege and the social and economic advantages those in relationships may have over those who are single.

Hughes says she has been interested in psychology since high school after picking up a book in her local library one day about industrial and organizational psychology. Intrigued, she sought out colleges with this field included in their psychology program and attended Auburn University ready to learn more about the science of the human mind. After one class in industrial and organizational psychology, Hughes discovered she had found her calling.

Hughes received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Auburn University and later earned her doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology from Kansas State University. She is in her 25th year teaching at Agnes Scott and currently teaches introductory psychology and a class on psychology of sexual behavior, a course on industrial and organizational psychology and a class to help students learn about the applied professional skills in psychology.

During her time as a professor, Hughes has coauthored dozens of published research papers with students and presented several hundred papers at research conferences; two of her papers have been published in book chapters.

Hughes received the Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award from Agnes Scott College in 2013, the Florence L. Denmark Faculty Advisor Award from Psi Chi (International Honor Society in Psychology) in 2018 and the Mentor Award from the Southeastern Psychological Association in 2014.

In addition to teaching and research, Hughes also serves as the adviser for Agnes Scott’s Psi Chi chapter, a role she has held for the past 24 years, and has served as associate editor of the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research for the past 10 years.

Hughes says some of her favorite memories from her time at Agnes Scott involve the many students that she’s taught over the years.

“I love working with students,” she says, “and I love keeping in touch with them after they graduate seeing where they end up.” One only needs to walk into her office to see how important her students are to her.

Agnes Scott College

Welcomes Chicora Martin as Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

Chicora Martin, Ph.D. joined Agnes Scott College as vice president for student affairs and dean of students on Nov. 1, 2022. Martin comes to Agnes Scott after serving as vice president of student life and dean of students at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., for the past seven years.

“As dean of students, Martin will be a crucial partner in providing vision, leadership and direction to maintaining the quality and vitality of student life while serving a growing student population,” says President Leocadia I. Zak. “In all aspects of the role, Martin endeavors to work consistently from a framework of transformative learning and social justice and is committed to holistic student development, serviceoriented leadership and transparency. We are thrilled that Martin will be bringing expertise in these areas and proven leadership skills to Agnes Scott.”

A graduate of East Carolina University, Martin earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in higher education from Florida State University. A valued voice among student affairs professionals, Martin has contributed as an author and speaker to many national organizations and consulted with colleges across the country on how to navigate change and community development with individuals from diverse perspectives.

While working at the University of Oregon, Martin created the Multicultural Inclusion and Support Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence and led the university’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Education & Support Services, a nationally recognized center in policy development. At Mills College, Martin oversaw an array of functional areas, including athletics counseling and psychological services; health and wellness; residential life; global learning; career services; academic advising; student activities and leadership; accessibility/disability services; and public safety and equity, and inclusion and retention-based initiatives.

Along the wall across her desk are rows of photos of her with students from across the years.

So what’s next?

Hughes plans to continue working on her research on couple privilege as well as updating a very popular and widely cited paper she wrote with her students about inclusive demographic questions for research surveys. She is excited to continue her career at Agnes Scott knowing that she has been recognized for all her hard work and is looking forward to working with new students in the future.