Providence, R.I.--Dr. Mary Anne Sedney, professor of psychology and department chair at Providence College, was honored recently as a "Pioneer in Psychology of Women" by the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP).

The award was presented at the AWP's 34th national conference, which was hosted this year by the association's Rhode Island chapter. The conference focused on "Feminist Empowerment Through Unity and Diversity."

"It is a little daunting to think of myself as a 'pioneer.' It makes me realize how long I've been involved in this work," said Sedney. "But it also makes clear how much the field has grown over the past 30-plus years."

She added, "It truly was awesome to sit among the group of honorees that evening. I feel honored to be included in this group of what I consider some of the top psychologists."

Sedney was selected from teachers of early Psychology of Women courses and authors of texts and articles used in those courses. She was involved in the development of the first Psychology of Women course at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1975, developed a similar course at PC in 1976, and co-authored Psychology and Sex Roles: An Androgynous Perspective (Little Brown, 1980).   

Sedney, who also is a professor of women's studies, has taught at PC for 33 years. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Pennsylvania State University in 1971. She received her master's and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1974 and 1976, respectively.

Throughout her career, Sedney has focused her research on the lives and experiences of women. Her research has been published in a number of scholarly journals, including the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Psychology of Women Quarterly, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, and Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.

Among her professional accomplishments, Sedney spent two years in the 1980s as a clinical fellow in psychology at Harvard Medical School. She received the Academic Excellence Award from the Providence College Chapter of the American Association of University Professors in 1995 and was elected to fellow status by the American Psychological Association in 2001.

- Joe Miller '10

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