Faculty | Jean Poppei

I went to Oberlin College for my undergraduate degree in psychology, where I participated in a senior research project in verbal learning and memory. I went onto the University of Chicago for my master's and doctoral degrees in developmental psychology. My doctoral dissertation examined peer imitation of a learned skill (in this case, getting tiny cookies out of a specially constructed "cookie machine") in 18- and 24-month old toddlers, a challenging but engaging age group!

I worked briefly at St. Xavier College in suburban Chicago teaching Introductory Psychology and Child Psychology before joining the faculty of Russell Sage College in the fall of 1974.

My interest in children and their welfare has been an enduring one. In my graduate years, I worked with other community activists in creating a revolving loan fund to assist with start-up costs for new daycare centers.With two other women, I was a founder of the Russell Sage College Daycare Center, one of the first in the area to offer care for infants.

Reflecting my strong commitment to quality childcare, I served as president of the Board of Directors for the Capital District Childcare Coordinating Council, and I continued to sit on the Board for a number of years. I have also served on the Policy Committee of Head Start and has consulted on developmental issues to both individuals and organizations. Trained as a family therapist, I am a licensed social worker as well as a licensed psychologist and specialize in work with juvenile sexual offenders as well as with incest families.

As a feminist, I have always been concerned with providing opportunities for women, reflected in my work with returning women students, first year student mentoring, and my involvement with the Upton Center for Women's Studies at Russell Sage College. When I was elected Chair of the Psychology Department, I stepped down from being Coordinator for a special program at RSC called Women Changing the World--it was a great experience! In the Psychology Department, I teach Introduction to Psychology, Human Development, Psychology of Women, Family Counseling (graduate level), and Proseminar, a course designed to assist junior Psychology majors in career decisions. My current research interest is focused on an early childcare organization started entirely by women in Troy, in 1858--a project that combines my interest in children and in women's roles. I'm also very interested in women's leadership.