We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Allison, Ph.D., to the position of chair of the Department of Psychology. Allison will begin his new position on July 1.
Allison is a professor of clinical psychology and has been at VCU since 1996. Allison’s research interests broadly focus on the role of culture and context in adolescent development, the role of community assets that support healthy developmental trajectories for urban youth and adults, and the professional development of diverse students and leaders in institutions of higher education.
Allison recently served as associate chair in the Department of Psychology and as associate vice president for strategy and development in the Office of the President. He previously held positions as interim vice president for Inclusive Excellence, associate dean for community activities in the College of Humanities and Sciences, and as Director of Applied and Outreach Scholarship in VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU. Allison also served on senior leadership teams for the VCU Center for Cultural Experiences in Prevention, and the Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development, one of the CDC’s National Academic Centers for Excellence on Youth Violence Prevention.
Allison is the recipient of VCU’s 2005 Reese-Melton Presidential Award for Multicultural Enrichment and was a 2016-17 American Council of Education Fellow. He is co-author with Faye Belgrave, Ph.D., of "African American Psychology: From Africa to America," now in its fourth edition.
We thank outgoing chair Michael Southam-Gerow for his leadership over the past five years. During a challenging time in higher education, Southam-Gerow has been a tireless advocate for his department, a wonderful mentor to his colleagues and a vital contributor of meaningful service to the College of Humanities and Sciences, and the university as a whole.