Citadel Psychology Department Hall of Fame

Since graduating from The Citadel’s School Psychology program in 2015, Lakia Johnson-Drayton has exemplified the qualities that the program seeks to instill, including passionate advocacy for students and families, strong community engagement, and high-quality services to the schools she has served. A former recipient of the Aline Mahan award as outstanding graduate of the school psychology program, Ms. Johnson-Drayton has held multiple roles in Charleston County School District, most recently serving as Assistant Director of Behavior Support and Intervention and Interim Director of Special Education Support Services. She continues to serve The Citadel’s school psychology program as a practicum supervisor and member of the program’s Advisory Board. In every role she undertakes Ms. Johnson-Drayton embodies The Citadel’s ideal of a principled leader.

Dr. Steve Nida was a dedicated leader, scholar, and colleague at The Citadel. He served as Head of the Psychology Department (2002-2009, 2012-2018) and as Associate Provost and Dean of The Citadel Graduate College (2009-2012). Known for his steadfast leadership and compassion, he applied social psychology to real-world issues like ostracism and exclusion, emphasizing psychology as both an experimental and practical science. His impact on The Citadel and the field endures.

Jonas Coatsworth is an incredible champion, advocate, and caregiver for those in addiction recovery. Since his graduation from the Masters in Psychology: Clinical Counseling program in 2003, he has impacted the lives of hundreds of individuals in their recovery journey and made a lasting imprint on many agencies, coworkers, and trainees in the community. Mr. Coatsworth has received state and national recognition for his tireless work and service. His commitment to ethical, evidence based, compassionate care is to be commended and emulated.

Dr. Aline Mahan was a pioneer at The Citadel. She was the first women to join the faculty in a permanent capacity and the first woman to achieve the rank of Colonel. Dr. Mahan was active in Phi Kappa Phi, and was instrumental in the founding of the Department of Psychology and in the development of the graduate program in School Psychology. As a result of her commitment to the academy and to the pursuit of knowledge, our graduates continue to make significant impacts in the lives of school children across our region and beyond. She was a trailblazer, a champion of others, and an intellectual whose work impacted many and whose courage opened doors of opportunity for many to who followed her example.

For over three decades, Dr. Conway Saylor made positive impacts inside the gates of The Citadel, and beyond in the community. Her example, which she modeled on a daily basis, was to serve others. This service and incorporation of service learning, became a cornerstone of the Department of Psychology, cultivating a culture of learning through service among our graduates. She focused on the improvement of the human condition through kindness and compassion. Dr. Saylor’s approach to research embodied the scientist-practitioner model and she equipped her students with the skills necessary to apply research to address societal challenges and better humanity. Her work on this campus, and within our department, helped focus us on the need to work to address chronic struggles facing children and families, and to do so with a sense of urgency and intensity and purpose.

Dr. Julie Lipovsky is a champion for others. At The Citadel, she served as the Assistant Provost for Diversity Initiatives, and in this role, she greatly advanced opportunities for women and minorities on our campus. Dr. Lipovsky was the founding director of the Clinical Counseling program and, in this role, helped shape the landscape of mental health services across greater Charleston. Her passion, tireless spirit, loyalty, and devotion made the Clinical Counseling program one of the most successful and rigorous graduate programs at The Citadel

Dr. Michael Politano has been described as the heartbeat of the Department of Psychology. Since his arrival at The Citadel in 1991, Dr. Politano worked tirelessly to advance the mission of the department and to advocate for students in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. Politano’s professionalism and his dedication to the academy have influenced generations of graduates, particularly in the field of school psychology. His rigor, his compassion, and his kindness set the bar for the rest of the Department of Psychology.

Dr. Oliver Bowman led the charge to develop a major in psychology at The Citadel and was responsible for the creation of the Department of Psychology in 1976, serving as Head of the Department until 1991. Dr. Bowman additionally developed The Citadel Counseling Center and served as the Director until his retirement in 1996. A champion for students, faculty, and staff, Dr. Bowman’s contributions set the state for future successes in the department.

Dr. Alfred J. Finch, Jr., served as the second Head of the Department of Psychology from 1991 until 2002 and, later, as the inaugural Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, a position he held until 2008. In his roles, Dr. Finch was a champion for the Department of Psychology and the larger School of Humanities and Social Sciences. A tireless and selfless advocate for others, his contributions impacted both the campus and the greater Charleston Community and continued the department’s tradition of excellence.