Biographical Text
Professor Emerita of Psychology Mary Louise Powell (July 7, 1935-) was born in Asheville, North Carolina, to Mr. and Mrs. John E. Wells. After graduating from Lee Edwards High School in 1953, she attended Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, Virginia, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She earned her A.B. degree in education from the university in 1957. Powell was also awarded an M.A. degree in personnel administration (1964) and a Ph.D. degree in education and psychology (1976) from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In addition, she attended summer sessions at Hunter College of the City University of New York; the Universite de Paris a Sorbonne (where she received a certificate in French language and civilization); the University of Washington, Seattle; and the University of Colorado, Boulder. Powell was a foreign language teacher at Myers Park High, Charlotte, North Carolina, for a year before becoming, in 1959, an editorial research assistant at Fortune magazine. From 1960 to 1962, she was recreation and program director for Special Services, United States Forces-Europe (Germany and France). While working towards her graduate degrees, Powell was a resident advisor for the University of North Carolina's counseling program. She was also a research associate and assistant to the project coordinator of the university's State/Federal Institute for Professional Development. Powell came to Appalachian State University in 1967 as an assistant professor of psychology. She was promoted to associate professor in 1976 and to professor in 1980. Beginning in 1982, Dr. Powell also served as the program coordinator for the graduate program in industrial/organizational psychology and human resource management. She functioned as a liaison with Appalachian's Department of Management as well. After receiving her doctorate, Dr. Powell continued studies at the SANNO Institute of Business Administration in Tokyo, Japan, during the summer of 1983, and at San Diego State University, San Diego, California, in the summer of 1987, when she was nominated and selected to participate in the AASCU's National Institute on Incorporating Japanese Studies into the American Undergraduate Curriculum. Powell's publications include: • "The Imposter Phenomenon and Psychological Type Among Banking and Higher Education Professionals." Journal of Psychological Type 20 (1990) (co-author). • "Japanese Education Today: An Overview." Journal of the North Carolina Council of the Social Studies (1988-89) (co-author). • "From Traditionist to Playboy: Sex Attitudes in the College Years." North Carolina Personnel and Guidance Journal (December 1971) (co-author). • "Educating the Monster: The New Morality at A.S.U." Appalachian State University Faculty Publications, 1969-70. (Co-author). Powell also conducted numerous presentations and workshops for local, regional, and state associations. Her research interests included organizational psychology, Japanese business and culture, and career development. Among the honors and awards Dr. Powell received were a diplomate in administrative psychology, awarded by the American Board of Administrative Psychology (1991); a fellowship for attendance at National Faculty Development Institutes (1987); and a NASA summer faculty fellowship at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia (1981). She was also listed in Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in the South and Southeast, and World Who's Who of Women. During her academic career, Powell was advisor to the American Society for Personnel Administration student chapter, an award-winning organization. She also served on the Departmental Admissions/Advising Committee for Rehabilitation Psychology, the University Registration and Calendar Committee (chair), the Departmental Committee for Undergraduate Applied Program Development, the Asian Studies Committee, and the Graduate Faculty (secretary). Other service efforts of Dr. Powell included membership in the North Carolina Career Development Association (treasurer), the North Carolina Museum of History Associates (Watauga County Chapter, co-chair), the North Carolina Association of Women in Education (research and program committees), the North Carolina Nature Conservancy, the National Committee for the New River, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, and the Blue Ridge Group (North Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club). She was also a member of the National Education Association, the Association for Higher Education, the American Personnel and Guidance Association, the American College Personnel Association, the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology, the Association for Psychological Type, the Adult Education Association of the United States, the North Carolina Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Vocational Guidance Association, the North Carolina Vocational Guidance Association, and the North Carolina Adult Education Association. Powell retired from Appalachian State University in 1995 and was awarded emerita status by the Board of Trustees. Sources: Appalachian State University files. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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