For Kailey DeKock ’26, independent academic work inside and outside the classroom built a passion for research. Through her studies at Lindenwood, DeKock developed the skills that are turning her passion into a career.
Originally from St. Louis, DeKock chose Lindenwood because of the University’s psychology program, citing the program’s emphasis on research as a deciding factor. While enrolled at Lindenwood, DeKock sought to pursue her interest in research inside and outside of the classroom. A summer internship studying Alzheimer’s and its relation to sleep affirmed this interest. She completed self-guided projects as a member of the Honors Academy and worked with Senior Professor of Psychology Dr. Michiko Nohara-LeClair to identify further research opportunities.
DeKock presented her findings at the Association of Psychological and Educational Research in Kansas (PERK) and Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) conferences. “Since I’m going into research, I will likely be doing a lot of presenting in the future and sharing my research. I think it was helpful to be able to get a taste of that so early to know what I can do in the future,” said DeKock. “It’s very much thanks to the faculty and Lindenwood for funding that I was able to have that experience.”
As a junior and senior, DeKock participated in the Lindenwood Showcase. She described the Showcase as valuable for her learning. “it’s really a fulfilling experience to be able to present the research you’ve talked about all semester or all year to faculty that you know,” DeKock said. Much like the conferences she attended, DeKock found value in presenting as well as connecting with like-minded students and faculty. “It’s just uniquely excellent because not all schools have something like that,” she said. “We basically have a conference at home that we can go to.”
For DeKock, the opportunity to pursue and present independent research with psychology and Honors Academy faculty made her Lindenwood experience especially meaningful. She encourages students to get involved in their departments and build relationships with faculty. “I would tell students to try to get involved and try to look for opportunities,” she said. “You’ll find that Lindenwood has a lot of opportunities and they are willing to help you make yourself a great candidate for work or grad school or whatever you decide to go into after.”
DeKock will begin working as a researcher, studying Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disease at Washington University in St. Louis this summer. She plans to pursue a graduate program and looks forward to contributing to Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disease research.