Michelle Tichy, Ph.D.
Michelle Tichy is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Alfred University, where she has taught since 2023. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (2006), with a specialization in developmental and social psychology and a dissertation examining the influence of constructive controversy on children's moral development. She also holds an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in Sociology from Oberlin College.
Dr. Tichy's scholarship centers on holistic and transformational education, moral and identity development, spirituality in education, and social-emotional learning, with more recent work extending into professional identity formation in health professions education. Her research has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Cureus, and JMIR Research Protocols, and she has contributed chapters to several edited volumes on higher education, self-care, and disability studies.
Over her career, Dr. Tichy has held faculty appointments at the University of Northern Iowa, the University of La Verne, St. Norbert College, and Rollins College, among others, and has served as a dissertation chair and program director for graduate education programs. She previously directed the Center for Neurodiversity, Learning, and Wellness at the University of La Verne.
Dr. Tichy is deeply engaged in professional service to the American Educational Research Association (AERA), where she has chaired and program-chaired both the Holistic Education and Spirituality and Education Special Interest Groups since 2006. Her work has been presented widely at national and international conferences, including AERA, the American Psychological Association, the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, and the National Women's Studies Association.
Courses Taught
Introduction to Psychology (Psychology 101)
Lifespan Human Development (Psychology 120)
Infant and Child Development (Psychology 263)
Adolescence and Emerging Adult Development (Psychology 264)
Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Psychology 343)
Human Sexuality (Psychology/Women & Gender Studies 351)
Common Ground
Honors Positive Psychology
