Office Space: Jennifer Engler (Professor and Chair, Psychology)

The way a person decorates can say a lot about them. In the Office Space series, we go beyond the résumé and get to know York College faculty and staff members through the objects they like to keep close.

Jennifer Engler, Ph.D., has been with York College since 2005. Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department, she teaches courses related to childhood development, both typical and atypical, as well as introductory research and senior capstone courses.

1. Wall Decal

“Let whatever you do today be enough,” are the words that can be prominently seen on Professor Engler’s wall. “I heard this quote for the first time when I sat at a Department Chair Academy in 2019,” she says. “It stuck with me, and I decided I needed a visual, daily reminder, so I had the decal made for my office wall. I’m big on self-compassion and self-care.” She tries to model this ideology for her students and encourages them to live by it.

2. Dog Painting

“My son and I went to an SPCA fundraiser for his ninth birthday where we were able to paint an artist’s sketched image of our pet,” she says. “I keep mine in my office. His hangs in his bedroom.”

3. Cheerleader Barbie

This Barbie is a Cheerleader for the University of Tennessee, Professor Engler’s alma mater. “I went to UT for my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. The football team (University of Tennessee Volunteers) has never been the same, but I still faithfully exclaim, ‘Go VOLS!’ ”

4. Stuffed Monkey Cellphone Holder

The wide-eyed, stuffed monkey cellphone holder serves as a reminder of some of Professor Engler’s favorite aspects of her job. She says, “Since I’ve been at YCP, some of my colleagues have become very dear friends. One of them gave me this cellphone holder for my desk, and it reminds me of how many special relationships I’ve made here.”

5. Screaming Goat

The Screaming Goat was a gift from Lori Nolte, Executive Assistant to the Dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education. “She just knew that I needed a screaming goat. And she was 100% right,” says Professor Engler. “Some days absolutely require a screaming goat!”

Professor Jennifer Engler received her B.A. from James Madison University, her M.S. from Loyola University in Maryland, and her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. While attending the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Tennessee in 2004, she specialized in childhood and adolescent development. She also gained specialized training in the treatment of eating disorders during her post-doctoral fellowship in the Adolescent and Sports Medicine Division of Texas Children’s Hospital. She is actively involved in pedagogical research that informs her teaching practice and also studies adolescent identity and poverty attitude change.