Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Washington State University

Meet Our Prevention Science Graduates

Ben Bayly, Ph.D

Assistant Professor in Family Studies, Child, and Youth Development

Pennsylvania State University

blb339@psu.edu

2017 WSU Prevention Science Graduate

Dissertation Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Online Values Affirmation among First-Year College Students

Primary Advisor: Matthew Bumpus (Human Development)

Committee Members: Brittany Cooper (Human Development), Brian French (College of Education), Laura Hill (Human Development)

What is your current job title? 

​Assistant Professor in Family Studies, Child, and Youth Development

What organization do you work for? ​

Penn State

What do you do in your current job?

This is a tenure-track position with research and extension responsibilities
devoted to implementing and evaluating programs to promote positive
wellbeing in childhood.

How did WSU’s Prevention Science Graduate Program prepare you for this work?

I think my Prevention Science graduate training uniquely positioned me to be
successful in this role. This position requires program design,
implementation, evaluation, and dissemination, all of which are key tenets of
the Prevention Science program.

What words of wisdom do you have for future WSU Prevention Science students?

Trust that the faculty genuinely want you to be successful, not just in graduate school, but later in your career as well. The faculty are there to open doors for you, not close them. Embrace the challenge of earning a PhD. There will be days, week, semesters, where you are busy, but the time goes by quickly! Remember that like most things, the more you put into your graduate education the more you will get out of it. Above all else, take care of yourself and don’t be afraid to reach out if you’re struggling.