“Today, we’re going to finish up talking about student presentations…”

Standing at the front of the classroom, Professor Gina Brelsford stands tall in her formal wardrobe. Even though her posture screams that she’s in her element, if you had seen her when she first arrived at Penn State Harrisburg as an assistant teacher in 2006, you probably wouldn’t expect that she would be taking the role of Honors Director in less than 20 years.

Professor Brelsford is currently working in the psychology department and actively teaching classes at Penn State Harrisburg. She’s a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in working with children and families. Her main research interests lie in the intersection between religion and interpersonal relationships, especially within family units.

Within the next couple of semesters, Professor Brelsford will be assuming the role of Honors Director. She’s currently serving as Assistant Director and teaching Honors classes in preparation to take the role on.

“I am still a Professor of Psychology, but in August, I will end my five-year role as Professor-in-Chair of the Applied Clinical Psychology Master’s program,” Professor Brelsford says about the upcoming transition. “I believe my work managing that program and engaging with fabulous graduate students makes moving into the Honors Director role that much easier.”

Outside of her work, Professor Brelsford is married for 17 years with two children, three cats, and a dog sharing her home. She loves reading, particularly sci-fi and fantasy, tieing into her love of the Harry Potter franchise. She also loves animal rescue work and considers herself a cat behaviorist.

The Honors program at Penn State Harrisburg offers many opportunities for students to dive deeper into their chosen field of studies, culminating in an honors thesis crafted during their senior year. Honors students also get access to benefits like exclusive study spaces, first choice of classes, and reserved space in on-campus housing.

Professor Brelsford encourages interested students to take a look into the Honors program. “Give it a try… You’ll meet amazing people and will get to step outside of your comfort zone (just a little bit).”

Students who are interested in the Honors program and would like to learn more can visit harrisburg.psu.edu/honors-program for more information and to apply to the Honors program.