2018 Nerhood Award
Since joining the Whittier faculty in 2010, Associate Professor of Social Psychology Christina Scott has made it her mission to integrate students into her unique research projects.
Her work mentoring young scholars, along with her engaging teaching style, made her an obvious choice for the 2018 Nerhood Award. The award, presented during the 2018 Honors Convocation, is named after Professor Emeritus of History Harry W. Nerhood and recognizes overall excellence in teaching.
While presenting the award, Dean of Faculty Darrin Good mentioned the admirable comments submitted during the nomination process.
One student nominator said, “Professor Scott encourages us to not only set high standards but is also there to help us meet them. Her encouragement has allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and recognize my strengths.”
Another said, “She is a brilliant, intelligent, and above all an inspirational professor.”
A fellow professor said, “Christina Scott is a great asset to our community because of her intellectual gifts, teaching excellence, wisdom, constructive involvement with students, and her respect for and commitment to the Whittier College community.”
Each year, Scott interviews and selects three to four undergraduate students to serve as research assistants for a three-semester commitment. Starting with her “research boot camp” in the spring semester, the new team is involved in all aspects of developing an academic research project from locating empirical articles to Institutional Review Board submission. The following year, research assistants collect and analyze data, which they present at a regional or national psychological conference with Scott.
Scott’s work focuses primarily on women’s sexuality and behavior. She has been published in a wide range of books and journals and continues to speak nationally and internationally about her research. Throughout her career, she has developed her teaching practice through appointments at various colleges and universities across the nation, including Pepperdine University, Loyola University of Chicago, Chico State, Tennessee State University, and St. Mary’s College of California.
Beyond the Whittier College community, Scott is passionate about sex education and volunteers to speak with local high schools and LGBTQ youth groups about healthy relationships and safe sexual practices.
Scott earned her B.S. at Occidental College as a double major in psychology and theater. She received an M.S. and Ph.D. in psychology from Kansas State University.