Graduate Students
Dr. Farrell is planning on reviewing applications for a new grad student to potentially join MARSH Lab starting in Fall 2027. Applications to Miami University’s social psychology program go under review on December 1, 2026. See Join Us or the social area admissions page for more information.
Jason Folmsbee
Jason is in his sixth-year as a graduate student in the Social Psychology Program working primarily with Dr. Claypool, continuing his research and writing. He earned his B.A. at the University at Buffalo in Psychology, Sociology, and Philosophy. Jason completed his M.A. in Psychology at the University at Buffalo focusing on collective effervescence and group behavior. Jason’s interests are in social exclusion, specifically focusing on the role of majority identities as a source of perceived exclusion, and meaning-making systems, identity, and social relationships. Outside of the lab, Jason enjoys reading, watching movies, collecting old video games, and spending time with his dogs.
Cole holt
Cole is a fifth-year graduate student working primarily with Dr. Farrell in the Social Psychology Program. Cole earned his B.A. in Psychology and Neuroscience at Miami University. Afterwards, Cole spent time working as a transcranial magnetic stimulation technician with depressed patients. Cole later earned his M.S. in Psychological Science at Northern Michigan University, where he developed his focus educational experiences of first versus continuing generation college students. Currently, Cole is continuing his research investigating generational differences from a social psychological perspective with the goal of enhancing student learning and instructor teaching in higher education. Cole is also an avid hiker and martial artist who loves spending his vacations in Oregon.
Tiange Dai
Tiange is a third-year graduate student in the Social Psychology Program working primarily with Dr. Claypool. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in Japanese. While earning his M.A. in experimental psychology at Radford University, Tiange developed his research interests in social cognition and close relationships. For his doctoral work here at Miami, Tiange is interested in researching social cognition, belonging needs, pluralistic ignorance, and college adaptation. Outside of research, Tiange likes sketching, playing video games, reading novels, doing puzzles, and watching movies.
mEARA pOLANSKI
Meara is a second-year graduate student in the Social Psychology Program working primarily with Dr. Farrell. She graduated from Ohio University with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in biological sciences. During her time at OU with Dr. Brett Peters in the RAP Lab, she learned about her passion for relationship psychology and physiology. Meara is now interested in stress physiology as it relates to relationships, attachment orientations, and how we perceive our bodily signals. Meara loves hiking, baking with sourdough, crafting, and getting immersed in a good book.
Carolyn Sackett
Carolyn is a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Program co-advised by Dr. Farrell. She received her B.S. in developmental psychology at the University of Minnesota, where she also worked as a research assistant on the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study for her postbac. Carolyn is interested in HPA axis development, early life stress, and adolescence. In her free time, Carolyn likes to go hiking, bake, and play video games.
Sevi Vandevender
Sevi is a second-year graduate student in the Social Psychology Program working primarily with Dr. McConnell. He graduated with his B.S. in psychology, minor in biology, from Christopher Newport University in Virginia. Sevi’s research interests include caregiving, self-concept, attitudes, and stereotypes. In his free time, Sevi enjoys going to concerts, playing video games, and reading.
Former Graduate Students
Erika Rosenberger
Erika graduated in 2026 with her PhD in the social psychology program. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she achieved her B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in social psychology. While working on her M.S. at Illinois State University, she began to show interest in how language influences people. After teaching at community colleges for a few years, she decided to pursue her research interests in language, exclusion, social relationships, and social identity. After receiving her doctorate, Erika is now an Assistant Professor at Indiana State University, enjoying teaching and researching in her areas of interest.
Prit patel
Prit graduated with her PhD from the social psychology program. Prit studied Psychology at her undergraduate university, University of Florida. While working in Dr. Greg Webster's Lab, she increasingly became interested in relationship research. In addition to relationships, she is also interested in mental and physical health, social media/messaging, belongingness, stigma/discrimination, and emotion.
Lea Stimpel
Lea completed one year in the social psychology program at Miami and decided to pursue clinical training. She is now pursuing a MSc in psychological therapies from the University of Edinburgh.