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Melissa Schweikert

Melissa Lavin
Professor of Practice, Program Lead for Child Development

College of Arts and Sciences

Phone: 260.344.5022

Email: malavin@indianatech.edu

Office: Keene 238

Bio

I have enjoyed almost 30 years in the world of psychology and child development serving in various capacities. I’ve taught psychology and development courses for over 22 years, and have been teaching at Indiana Tech for over 12 years.

  • M.S., General Psychology, Old Dominion University
  • B.A., Psychology, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

My Office Hours

Virtual, by appointment. Office hours are flexible.

Classes I Teach

PSY 1700 Introduction to Psychology
PSY 1750 Human Growth and Development
CD 2000 Infant and Early Childhood Development
CD 2010 Middle Childhood and Adolescent Development
CD 3000 Foundations of Play
CD 3010 Language and Literacy Development.

My Academic Advising Roles

Child Development, Educational Studies, and Psychology

Educational Background

MS, Psychology – 1997, Old Dominion University
BA, Psychology – 1992, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

Professional Experience

American Psychological Association (Washington, DC)
Oaklawn (Elkhart, IN)
Southwestern Michigan College, Educational Talent Search (Dowagiac, MI)
Ivy Tech (South Bend, Warsaw, and Fort Wayne, IN
Indiana Tech (Fort Wayne, IN)

Publications/Presentations

Cash, T. F., & Brown, M. A. (2000). Attitudes about antidepressants: Influence of information about weight-related side effects. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 90(2), 453–456.

van Wallendael, L. R., Surace, A., Parsons, D. H., & Brown, M. (1994). ‘earwitness’ voice recognition: Factors affecting accuracy and impact on jurors. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 8(7), 661–677.

Why I Teach

I teach because I am passionate about the fields of child development and psychology, and I find great fulfillment in mentoring students and contributing to their growth and success in the classroom and beyond. In sum, teaching at Indiana Tech has provided me with the chance to build a meaningful career that helps others make better lives for themselves.

Additional Information

I live near Seattle, Washington with my husband, 2 triplet sons, and 2 dogs. My daughter, the 3rd triplet, is a nurse in Indianapolis. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, playing racquetball and pickleball, and traveling when time allows.

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