Prof awarded for work with children

Psychologist one of 11 named 'Outstanding Faculty' in Virginia

After years of service helping abused children, a JMU professor was one of 11 recipients of the TIAA-CREFF Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award for 2004.

Joann Grayson, a professor in the psychology department, has been involved in many organizations that help children.

"Dr. Grayson has a long and distinguished career as a professor, clinical psychologist and as an advocate for the welfare of children," said Douglas Brown, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Her work in preventing child and spousal abuse has been nationally recognized. I am delighted that she was selected to receive the Outstanding Faculty Award."

According to JMU President Linwood Rose in a Jan. 21 press release, "Receiving a [Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund] Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award is the highest honor that a college or university professor can receive in this state." Joann Grayson personifies the scholar-teacher who is dedicated to her students and to her academic discipline," he said.

Grayson is editor of the Virginia Child Protection Newsletter, which has been funded yearly since 1981 by a grant from Virginia Social Services. This publication is distributed to 13,000 agencies in Virginia, both out-of-state and internationally.

It has been used by the FBI, other teachers, law enforcement and in workshops to educate about neglect and abuse, according to Grayson.

"I was interested in psychology because I was curious how the mind operates," she said. "While I was working at Malcolm Bliss Hospital back in 1975 in Missouri, my colleagues and I noticed that half of the children in our care had been mistreated in the past. There wasn't much known about it at the time, so I did some research and held a workshop to inform employees about child neglect and abuse."
Grayson moved to Virginia and became a faculty member in 1976, although she said she always has been more orientated toward clinical studies.

Grayson has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives' Select Subcommittee on Education. She has made over 70 presentations to different agencies regarding child abuse prevention.

In 1980, she received a state grant of $35,000, which was used to fund 11 programs that different agencies proposed.

"By having agencies propose ideas, we were able to use all the money efficiently because it went directly into equipment and training," Grayson said. "For example, some of it was used to help training for Child Protective Services; some went into alcohol counseling and into starting meetings for family members of alcoholics."

There were many people who contributed to the success of these programs, Grayson said.

"Without the help of students there would be a lot less accomplished," she added. "Every semester there are many students who do the groundwork, and they add a lot of enthusiasm to our projects. There are a few students each semester who help with the newsletter, and every year about 45 students sign up to do 150 hours of service."

Grayson has supervised over 9,000 service hours in the past year alone. "Students can tutor and mentor foster children, speak about preventing teenage pregnancies at local schools, aid at Camp Kaleidoscope — a summer camp for foster children — or work at the Virginia Mennonite Community with a program that uses art for memory enhancement," Grayson said.

She said she meets with students in and out of class and helps them with their field placement.

"This is not considered volunteer work; this is a service that they must research for," she said. "There is paperwork involved, but they all do wonderful work. This award belongs to the students and other people who are involved in this work, too."

A ceremony was held to present the awards Wednesday.

In the press release, Gov. Mark Warner stated, "It is because of men and women like these that Virginia boasts a higher educated system that is the envy of the rest of the United States, and indeed the world. Our colleges and universities attract this outstanding intellectual capital that makes them economic engines for the entire commonwealth."