Dr. Cynthia C. Spering has been appointed assistant professor of psychology at Davis & Elkins College. She joins the faculty starting with the fall 2016 semester instructing introductory and upper-level courses.
“We welcome Dr. Spering to the D&E family,” said Dr. Sharmi Roy, interim vice president for Academic Affairs. “Our students will get benefits from her experiences in academics, research and her work in clinical settings. We look forward to a very productive association with Cynthia.”
Most recently, Spering worked as a research psychologist at Momentous Institute in Dallas, Texas, where she developed and managed research projects for a non-profit community mental health agency. Prior to that, from 2011 to 2015, she served as assistant professor of psychology and counseling at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses. At Northeastern, she was presented the Outstanding Faculty Award in Service and the Faculty Development Travel Award to study public health in Botswana and South Africa.
While pursuing her graduate degrees, Spering held several positions at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, including instructor of record, mass survey coordinator and graduate research lab member in positive psychology and neuropsychology. She was selected for the Graduate Student Research Award based on her achievements in research, the AT&T Chancellor’s Fellowship and the Psychology Departmental Scholarship. Additional honors include the Health and Social Services Fellowship from Covenant Health Systems and the Gallup Positive Psychology Student Fellow Award from the Gallup Organization.
In the clinical setting, Spering completed an American Psychological Association accredited pre-doctoral internship with an emphasis in neuropsychology and assessment at Battle Creek Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center in Battle Creek, Mich. She also completed practicums at regional mental health facilities and private practices.
She has also co-authored several articles for professional journals and book chapters.
Since 2007, Spering has presented at numerous professional sessions and workshops including the American Psychological Association, World Congress on Positive Psychology, National Academy of Neuropsychology, Southwestern Psychological Association and Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. She has also mentored student presentations at Northeastern State University’s Undergraduate Research Day, where the students won the Outstanding Scholar competition, and at Oklahoma Research Day at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Spering earned her Ph.D. in counseling psychology in 2011 and Master of Arts in psychology in 2008, both from Texas Tech University. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Boston University in Boston, Mass., in 2003. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, Southwestern Psychological Association and Psi Chi.
James Owens has been appointed director of physical plant at Davis & Elkins College. In this position he will oversee the planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and controlling of all physical plant operations for the 23 major buildings on the 170-acre campus.
A native of Elkins, Owens is familiar with the campus as both a community member and a professional contractor.
“James is a longtime member of the Elkins community with working knowledge of the Davis & Elkins campus, who has been employed in the construction and renovation of The McDonnell Center, Myles Center for the Arts and is currently supervising extensive work at Albert Hall,” said Executive Vice President and Provost at Davis & Elkins Dr. Wallace Neel. “We look forward to entrusting to him the care and nurturing of the campus in the outstanding manner he has shown in those projects. He and the College are anxious to get started.”
Throughout his career, Owens has worked on commercial, residential and industrial building projects.
Owens comes to Davis & Elkins from March-Westin Company Inc. in Morgantown, W.Va., where he has been employed as a superintendent for the past 16 years managing a variety of construction teams and projects. Prior to that, from 1994 to 2000, he worked as a carpenter, foreman and superintendent at Huffman Corporation in Bridgeport, W.Va. From 1989 to 1994, Owens was a carpenter and foreman at CJ’s Concrete in Elkins.
A resident of Elkins, Owens is a graduate of Elkins High School.
