Dr. Debra Vredenburg-Rudy

Dr. Vredenburg earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and her Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Slippery Rock University. Her Ph.D. is in Experimental Social Psychology from Ohio University. Dr. Vredenburg joined the Psychology Department at Millersville University in the fall of 2002. Before coming to MU, she taught at a small private college in Ohio, Wilmington College, as well as part time at the University of Dayton and Wright State University (Psy.D. Program). She also served as a Research Associate for a federally-funded project aimed at teaching resident physicians Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) at the Clinton Memorial Hospital Family Practice Residency Program, an affiliation of the University of Cincinnati. She has conducted grant-supported studies on cultural competency practices of primary health care providers in Appalachia and the effects of continuity of medical care on physical and emotional health.

Dr. Vredenburg teaches Experimental Design and Statistics I (PSYC 211), General Psychology (PSYC 100), Child & Adolescent Development (PSYC 227), and Industrial/Organizational Psychology (PSYC 329). Her scholarly interests include the human-animal bond, organizational behavior, impression formation, and health beliefs.

Outside of academe, Dr. V enjoys spending time with her animals and taking them to visit elderly residents in assisted care facilities. MU students often accompany her on pet therapy visits and are involved in other animal-related projects. She started a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit called Pet Guardians in 2006. Students interested in learning more about the human-animal bond are encouraged to contact her.