NLU Community Psychology Faculty and Alumni Take the Global Stage in Nigeria

Ten National Louis University faculty members and alumni helped organize and present at an international conference that brought together community psychology professionals from 40 countries.

National Louis University’s Community Psychology Ph.D. program had a strong presence at the 11th International Conference of Community Psychology (ICCP), held Sept. 1–4 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The conference brought together approximately 150 participants representing 40 countries to share research, exchange ideas and explore how community psychology can help address challenges facing communities around the world. The gathering was especially significant as the first ICCP conference held in West Africa.

NLU alumnus Dr. Moshood Olanrewaju served as conference convener and was a driving force behind bringing the event to Nigeria through a partnership with Lagos State University. Other NLU alumni and faculty also played important roles in planning the conference and presenting their research.

For Judah Viola, chair of NLU’s Community Psychology program, seeing former NLU students take leadership roles on an international stage was one of the highlights of the experience.

“It was great because we got to see our alumni thriving and being leaders within the field,” Viola said. “It was a good learning opportunity, but it was also nice to connect with some of my old students and see them doing so well.”

NLU’s Community Psychology Ph.D. program, launched in 2009, prepares students to conduct community-based research in partnership with schools, hospitals, nonprofits and other organizations. Their work addresses areas such as education, health and wellness, homelessness, substance use, early childhood and aging, with an emphasis on working directly with communities to develop meaningful solutions.

The conference also provided NLU faculty and alumni an opportunity to learn from colleagues around the world about different approaches to community-based research.

“It’s always good to learn how people are applying some of the same principles and ideas in a different context,” Viola said. “Because of their context, they developed different theories and different methods that we can learn from here.”

The strong NLU representation in Lagos reflects the growing impact of the University’s Community Psychology program and its alumni, who are using their education and research to become leaders in the field and make a difference in communities around the world.