The Chart Online

Instructor finds India treasures
Nate Billings

Staff Writer

The India Semester affects many aspects of Missouri Southern s curriculum, including psychology.

At noon Friday in Taylor Hall, Room 113, Dr. Gwen Murdock, professor and head of psychology, will give a presentation on her trip to India.

For four weeks during July and August 1999, Murdock went to India for a conference on ethology. The trip was sponsored by the Institute of International Studies. She spent part of her time in the southern, mountainous regions of India and part of her time in the northern regions of India. She visited a silkworm factory, temples and national parks. She said the accommodations were comparable to those in the United States.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was seeing wild, Indian elephants, Murdock said.

Murdock also saw an endangered goat in the wild.

Amy Payne, senior psychology major and president of Psi Chi, said Murdock s presentation is in effort to incorporate the India Semester into the Psychology Club and Psi Chi meetings.

Murdock will show slides and talk about her experiences in India. She is also going to bring Indian food for people to try.

She is well-traveled so she can contrast India with other cultures, said Dr. AmyKay Cole, assistant professor of psychology and faculty representative for the Psychology Club. It was decided on as soon as it came up.

Cole hopes people who come will broaden their understanding of other cultures.

Regardless of the culture, we can learn more about our own, Cole said.

If people are trying to decide whether or not to participate in the Summer in India Semester, then this will give them a flavor for it, Murdock said. If people missed the Diwali dinner, this is the second best way to immerse yourself in the Indian experience.

Cole and Payne encourage people to come. The presentation is open to everyone.

The focus of the Psychology Club and Psi Chi is students learning about psychology, said Cole.

Students do not have to be majoring in psychology to join. Both clubs meet at noon on Tuesdays in Taylor Hall, Room 115. They are planning other presentations soon. Christie Cathy-Paiza will be doing a presentation on graduate schools and how to prepare for them.

Currently the Psychology Club is raffling off a mountain bike, movie tickets and gift certificates to local restaurants.