Sometimes it takes a trip outside the classroom to enlighten students and make them aware of career possibilities and motivate them in their chosen field.

For Western Nevada College Professor of Psychology Dr. Rebecca Bevans and six of her students, a field trip to San Francisco during the end of spring semester accomplished this purpose.

They attended the four-day Western Psychological Association Convention, learning that scientific research isn’t so boring after all and there are topics and issues that can shape their course of study in the future.

“They were all bitten by the research bug and I could not be happier,” Dr. Bevans said. “Do you know how hard it is to get students interested in research? Let's just say that research is not exciting to everyone. But now I have a team of researchers, and we will be working out our plans this summer, and conducting some research this coming fall.”

The educational trip was made possible because of the WNC Psychology Club’s fundraising efforts which were matched by a generous WNC Foundation donor.

“I am extremely grateful for the support of our campus, community and donors who supported this trip. We could not have done it without all of them,” said Dr. Bevans, noting that attending next year’s conference won’t be possible without raising more funds. “Keep your eyes open for the bake sales, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and any other fundraiser we can design. I have six students ready to take on the psychology research world and I will let nothing get in their way!”

Dr. Bevans first attended the conference as a graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno, but her obligation as a presenter kept her from enjoying the full experience of the conference.

“As a professor, I knew that taking some of our students to a conference could be life-changing,” she said. “Every time I attend the Western Psychological Association conference, I am left with a head full of the newest research in psychology. It is an amazing experience and one that I knew would be life changing for some of our students who are just beginning their journey into psychology.”

For the half-dozen students who accompanied Dr. Bevans and instructor Jolene Coverston to San Francisco, it was an opportunity to see what the psychology field has to offer them in the future.

“To me, one of the most important things that I learned was how vast the world of psychology truly is,” psychology student Thomas Shumway said. “Getting to learn the specific details of how research works in many of those varying parts of psychology was very informative for me and was just incredibly interesting.”

Added student Will Webster, “During this trip, I got to learn about positive psychology, consenting non-monogamous relationships, the retold story about the Stanford prison experiment, and many more. All the speakers went into pretty great detail of all their studies and experiments. While Mrs. Bevans was extremely helpful in explaining any parts that confused me.”

Shumway and Webster shared these experiences with other conference attendees from WNC, including students Yamaa Daoudi, Michael Marketti, Lilly Bacon and Angel Polvorosa.

“That experience of bonding with people who are equally and even more passionate about psychology was so refreshing to me,” Shumway said. “Listening and talking to people who are passionate about similar topics to me helped me understand topics I couldn't quite wrap my head around before; it also challenged me quite a bit.”

Webster said that their professor’s presence provided them with a better understanding of the conference, including the studies and experiments.

“It was amazing; I loved the experience the entire time,” Webster said. ‘Having Dr. Bevans there, being able to explain the confusing parts, and to be able to learn more from people who share the same passion will be an experience I will never forget. You could really tell that Dr. Bevans was taking the time to explain studies, experiments and other psychology related material along the way.”

Their interest and views about research changed 180 degrees during the conference.

“All of us became interested in research because we were given the chance to meet the people behind said research,” Shumway said. “Meeting them helped us put research into a new perspective I think, and to me at least, that new perspective made me much more intrigued by the research topics we had discussed.”

To learn more about WNC’s psychology program, email Dr. Bevans at rebecca.bevans@wnc.edu.