David Richard, MBA, Ph.D.

Department Chair
Professor of Psychology

Students learn best when they are motivated to engage the material in a variety of way to promote consideration and discussion of critical concepts. In my courses, students will read scholarly papers, write papers, watch popular films and documentaries, design assessments, interpret data, and learn important skills relevant to our field. While it is important that students develop a solid understanding of psychological principles, my instructional style is designed to develop their inquisitiveness and curiosity through critical discussions of material. My hope is that the enthusiasm they develop for psychology in my courses will sustain them through their undergraduate careers and, hopefully, motivate them to pursue graduate studies and a lifetime helping others as clinicians or counselors.

- David Richard

Connect with
David Richard

building is Ordway - room is 137

E-mail

Biography

My educational journey has taken me all over the country. I started as an undergraduate at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon before transferring to UC San Diego in La Jolla, California. After graduating from UCSD with a major in Political Science and a minor in Psychology, I went to Harvard for my master's in Counseling and Consulting Psychology. From there, I spent a few wonderful years in at the University of Hawaii completing my PhD in clinical psychology. I then did an internship at Educational Testing Service in Ewing, New Jersey and my clinical internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Jackson VAMC working with traumatized war veterans and children with brain injuries. My first faculty position was at Missouri State where I directed the clinical psychology master's program and completed postdoc hours at St. John's Medical Center (now, Mercy) working on the inpatient unit with patients who had attempted suicide within the past 24 hours. After 5 years at Missouri State, I went to Eastern Michigan University for four years to help start their PhD program in clinical psychology. After too many cold winters, I migrated with my family down to Rollins College in 2005. At Rollins, I taught courses in statistics and research methods, trauma, behavioral addictions, and was dean from 2012-2017. I also completed my MBA there. After 16 years at Rollins, I came to Florida Southern to chair the new department. I have four kids, all grown, and all doing great things.

Interests

I enjoy the motivated students and our time together discussing interesting concepts in class, while I teach at FSC.

My main hobbies involve art, cooking, and wine making. I do a lot of wood carving and wood burning (portraits, etc.) and a bit of painting. In terms of cooking, I'm still learning but I'm pretty happy with my Thai red curry and chicken dish! Other hobbies include creative writing, hydroponic, and furniture building. I am also full owner of a hapless fantasy football team.

Education

  • Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa,
    (Clinical Internship: University of Mississippi Medical Center)
  • M.B.A.  Rollins College
  • M.A. Clinical Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa,
  • M.Ed.: Harvard University
  • B.A. University of California at San Diego

Projects

I have been teaching college courses either as an adjunct instructor or a tenure-track / tenured faculty member since 1989. In 2021, I came to FSC from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida to chair the new Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences which merged Psychology with Criminology. As such, I have not worked with any FSC students yet, but I expect that to change in short order.  My research interests surround assessment of stress and trauma, psychological factors related to beliefs in conspiracy theories, coping mechanisms during the pandemic, and the relationship between early childhood experiences and emotional adjustment during Covid-19. Although most students jump on projects that I have designed, I am very supportive of student-inspired research and I'm happy to mentor students who have their own research ideas.