About The Southern Minnesota Conference on Psychology (SMCP)
The Southern Minnesota Conference on Psychology is an annual conference hosted by the Department of Psychology at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The goal of the conference is to promote psychology and highlight student research from a variety of disciplines within the field of psychology. The conference is intended to involve a wide audience of students, faculty, and community professionals.
2026 Southern Minnesota Conference
The 2026 SMCP will be held on Friday, April 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room 253/4/5 in the Centennial Student Union on the Minnesota State University, Mankato campus. A light breakfast as well as lunch will be provided.
The 2026 SMCP theme is “Job Opportunities with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology."
Additional information for SMCP 2026:
- This year’s conference is student-focused with a panel discussion describing jobs former students obtained with their BS degree and the skills they developed during their time at MSU, Mankato that helped them obtain those jobs.
- In addition, there will be a panel with current students discussing the skills they have developed as part of their Field Experience (PSYC 497) placements.
-
Prior to lunch there will be an opportunity to speak with panelists, see students present their research in a poster session, and hands-on demonstrations where attendees will be able to learn more about psychology.
- A lunch will be provided for attendees. During lunch, departmental awards will be handed out and there will be an induction ceremony for the national Psychology Honor’s Society, Psi Chi.
Registration Details
Interested individuals can register for the Southern Minnesota Conference on Psychology 2026 using the following link.
Course Registration Details
Minnesota State University, Mankato students can attend the conference and enroll in a 1-credit Psychology course (PSYC 490 or 590). Students seeking course credit must receive permission to register for the course (contact Dr. Sarah Myers at sarah.myers@mnsu.edu to request permission to register AND to receive a syllabus describing course guidelines).
Additional registration questions can be sent to Dr. Jeff Buchanan at Jeffrey.buchanan@mnsu.edu
For More Information
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jeff Buchanan, at 507-389-5824 or at Jeffrey.buchanan@mnsu.edu.
Undergraduate Research Presentations, 2025 Southern Minnesota Conference on Psychology
| Student Author(s) | Faculty Mentor | Poster Title |
|---|---|---|
| Mooyoung Lee, Ryan Compton, Ella Littlejohn | Emily Stark | "Evaluating Critical Thinking in College Students for Workplace Readiness" |
|
Ava Stier, Will Anderson, Jaylene Perez, Ava Kampf, Sophie Privette, Lauren Schammel, Alex Much, Joey Vobr, Lilah Amon, Haley Klingenberg, Hannah O’Brien, Brooke Morris, Audrey Wertish |
Sarah Myers | "Comparative Analysis of Satisfaction and Stress Levels between Collegiate Athletes and Club Athletes" |
|
Abby Heisinger, Jessa Broesder, & Allison Chaffee |
Emily Stark | "Critical Thinking: A Key Workplace Skill" |
| Shalynn Mahady | Emily Stark | "Understanding Beliefs in Pseudoscience: The Misleading Science Behind Complementary Medicine" |
| Matthew Ling | Felix Pambuccian | "Tripping with Purpose: Exploring the Role of Intention in Psychedelic Experiences" |
| Maria Del Carmen Mendez-Martinez | Andi Lassiter | Mental Health Treatments Past & Present |
