Kerrie DeVries

I didn’t study Psychology until graduate school. While working as the director of an internship program for a diverse group of high school graduates (Latino, African American, Bi-racial, American Islander, Sudanese, Nigerian, Caucasian), I noticed differences in the mindsets and motivations of different ethnic groups’ pursuit of a college education ... I am passionate about helping students from all ethnic backgrounds gain confidence in themselves as they learn and persevere in college.

The best decision I made was following my natural interests when selecting an area of study within Psychology. College is a lot of hard work. If you are highly interested in your area of study, it will be easier to stick with it.

Faculty Profile

Kerrie DeVries, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania-Bloomsburg and teaches social and developmental psychology courses. In particular, Kerrie created and teaches coursework that explores race from a psychological perspective, including the psychology of race, ethnic identity development over the life span, and the role of both cultural and social psychology in group and identity formation. Kerrie’s research focuses on psychological factors impacting college retention, particularly as it relates to curriculum, sense of belonging, and academic and social integration for immigrant-origin and U.S.-origin students of color. She also led the development of and is the program director for an interdisciplinary Black Studies Minor at Commonwealth University, including coursework focused on theoretical frameworks that explain the Black experience in the United States. She won both the Outstanding Teaching Award and the Provost Award of Excellence for Research and Scholarly Activity at Bloomsburg University in 2022, and the Dr. Walter T. Howard NAACP Image Award in 2024.