January 6, 2004

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NSU Dean of Psychology Elected President of the American Psychological Association
President-Elect Seeks to Make Psychology a Household Word

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Ronald F. Levant, Ed.D., Dean of Nova Southeastern University's Center for Psychological Studies, has been elected president of the American Psychological Association (APA), the largest organization of psychologists in the world. He will serve as president-elect in 2004 and will begin as his term as president in 2005.

Emphasizing a central goal of his presidency as "making psychology a household word," Levant envisions a public awareness campaign that stresses the importance of regular psychological checkups.

"Psychology is increasingly called upon for its professional skills and scientific knowledge," he said. "APA needs an experienced leader who has a history of working with all of psychology's constituencies, and who can bring us together to effectively respond to these challenges."

The American Psychological Association, located in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the U.S., with a membership of more than 155,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 53 subfields of psychology and its affiliations with 58 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting health, education and welfare.

Although mental health problems affect one in four Americans (including more than 600,000 Floridians), millions of people cannot gain access to the mental health care they need. As president-elect, Levant is committed to positioning psychology as a top-tier health profession in the health care system and will lobby Washington politicians to work on the mental health delivery system.

Another issue that Levant values and wants to tackle during his tenure is racial and cultural diversity in the psychology field.

"I am committed to enhancing the inclusiveness and at affirmation of cultural diversity not only of the profession, but all of its leadership, and to promoting the multicultural competence of the membership," he said. To this end, he proposes discussions with the Council of National Psychological Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Issues and its constituent groups to determine ways to be more inclusive.

Prior to joining Nova Southeastern University in 1997, Levant was a faculty member at Boston, Rutgers and Harvard universities, as well as a clinician in independent practice and a clinical supervisor in hospital settings. He received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California Berkeley, an M.B.A., degree from Boston University and his doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology and Public Practice from Harvard University.

Levant, who has been deeply involved with APA throughout his career, has held several positions in local and national professional organizations including: serving as President of the Massachusetts Psychological Association, President of APA Division 43 (Family Psychology), and as two term member and Chair of the APA Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice. Most recently he chaired the APA and American Psychological Foundation Task Force on Promoting Resilience in Response to Terrorism, 2002-2003.

Levant has authored, co-authored, edited or co-edited nearly 250 publications, and his contributions to psychology include pioneering the new psychology of men, where he has developed theory and conducted research programs on fathering and masculinity ideology in multicultural perspective.

He is the recipient of 17 professional awards, including the 2001 Outstanding Advocacy Award from the Association for the Advancement of Psychology, the 2002 Distinguished Psychologist award from Division 29 (Psychotherapy) of APA, the 2002 Harold Hildreth Award from Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service)of APA. In 2003 he was named a Distinguished Psychologist in the Florida Psychological Association, and received the APA Division of Independent Practice (42), Distinguished Psychologist Award as well as the American Psychological Association, Division 55, American Society for the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy, Distinguished Psychologist Award.

Levant's expertise in the field of psychology has led to numerous interviews and profiles in publications such as Fortune, Industry Week, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News and World Repor, People Magazine, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and more. He has also appeared on national television and radio shows, including "20/20," The Oprah Winfrey Show", and "CBS News Nightline".

Nova Southeastern University, with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeast United States, and the 10th largest nationally. It awards bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology, and other social sciences. The university also offers 16 undergraduate majors through the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences.

The Center for Psychological Studies at NSU is dedicated to providing the highest quality education to its students, superior mental health care services to the community, and research contributions to mental health sciences. The center offers doctoral programs in clinical psychology, a specialist program in school psychology, a postdoctoral program in psychopharmacology and masters programs in mental health and school guidance and counseling. Specialist and masters programs are offered on campus and at locations across Florida.