Charles Pepper Awarded the 2022 Psychology Excellence Prize

By Press release submission

Aug 25, 2022

The Grinnell College Department of Psychology faculty named Charles Peppers ’22 the recipient of the 2022 Psychology Excellence Prize. Peppers received a letter and an honorarium from the department, and their name appears alongside past Psychology Excellence Prize winners on an engraved plaque displayed in the psychology commons of the Noyce Science Center.

The Psychology Excellence Prize is awarded annually to a graduating psychology major who demonstrated notable voluntary engagement with and commitment to the values of the discipline, for example through their involvement in a particular research project, application of psychology, or outstanding involvement in departmental activities.

Peppers distinguished themselves in the department through their deep commitment to the values of the discipline, on- and off-campus. In their time at Grinnell, Peppers demonstrated dedicated leadership on the Psychology Student Environmental Policy Committee (SEPC), organizing the student seminar series and assisting in the search for future department faculty. Peppers’ warmth and commitment to inclusion have helped to build strong classroom communities, while also fostering inclusive environments which extend beyond the department. Peppers organized two LGTBQ+ in STEM events and served as the administrative coordinator for the Stonewall Resource Center. Peppers planned and conducted a joint psychology and French Mentored Advanced Project exploring Cotard’s Syndrome, and in 2021 they completed a summer internship at a queer-centered family and marriage counseling practice. Peppers’ off-campus research at Roanoke College has led to co-authorship on an upcoming book, Crossing the River Styx, about a former Virginia death row chaplain.

Peppers is currently working as a mental health field clinician in Virginia and spending some time completing the forthcoming book, both of which are steps toward their goal of obtaining a doctorate in psychology and pursuing a career serving incarcerated populations.

The Department of Psychology thanks Peppers for the positive impact they made while a student at Grinnell and wishes them well in all their future endeavors.

Past Psychology Excellence Prize Winners