Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Deb Foss

In 2006, MCLA Psychology Professor Dr. Deborah Foss and alumna Donna Denelli-Hess '75 were awarded the 2006 Nymbani Medallion for Volunteer Service for their work at an orphanage for HIV-positive children in Kenya. In February, the pair was honored with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award.

A firm believer in the value of quality public education, Dr. Foss said that, without it, she would not have had the opportunity to attend college.

"Having earned my bachelor's degree in psychology from UMass-Dartmouth, I had a strong sense that accepting the position at the College would be part of my giving back to a public higher education system that gave me so much," she said.

In addition to her time in the classroom, Dr. Foss is the coordinator of the Office of Advising Services. Her research is focused on student retention and persistence toward completely a degree at the College, and she is the chair of MCLA's Curriculum Committee, where she has been heavily involved in the development, revision and assessment of MCLA's core curriculum

Dr. Foss, who has been with MCLA since 1987, also serves as co-coordinator of the College's First Year Experience program. She has received the College Curriculum Development Award and the Senior Class Appreciation Award in 1995 and 1999. She also has published numerous research papers in national and international journals.

Dr. Foss was recently featured NPR's 51 Percent program.  You can listen to that segment here.