History

1952 -   Bob Guion joins the BGSU faculty after completing his Ph.D. at Purdue University. Industrial psychology courses and thesis opportunities are available to graduate students for the first time.

1965 -   The Ohio Board of Regents approves the Industrial Psychology program. Also, in that year, Guion’s book Personnel Testing was published by McGraw-Hill and remained a key book in the field for many years

1966 -   An NSF department development grant affords the addition of two new faculty that solidify the industrial strength of the program. Pat Smith brought with her the widely used Job Descriptive Index (JDI), an instrument used to assess job satisfaction, as well as a world-renowned reputation. Joe Cranny, a recent Ph.D. graduate, allowed the program to deal with the growing influx of outstanding students attracted by the reputation of the program. The combination of Guion and Smith establishes BGSU as one of the best programs in the nation

1969 -   The first Ph.D’s are awarded to Frank Landy and Shelly Zedeck. Placements at highly respected institutions (Penn State and Berkeley) reflect the prestige of the BGSU program

1971 -   Ken Alvarez and Lowell Schipper join the I-O faculty. Ken brings the organizational side of the field to the program for the first time, while Lowell has extensive statistical expertise and teaches the graduate statistics course for many years

1982 -   Dr. Robert Guion was named a Distinguished University Professor in recognition of his distinguished research

1983 -   Bill Balzer joins the I-O faculty and goes on to chair the Psychology Department from 1993-1999

1985 -   Carlla Smith joins the I-O faculty and establishes a program in occupational health psychology. She serves as director of the I/O program from 1993-1998. She was a fellow of APA and was active in not only SIOP but also divisions 5 and 21 of APA, the Human Factors Society, and the International Stress Management Association

1988 -  The Ohio Board of Regents awards the I/O program a competitive Academic Challenge Grant in recognition of its excellence

1990-91  -   The Ohio Board of Regents awards the I/O program an Eminent Scholar position, to engage a renowned scholar in I/O psychology. Milt Hakel is awarded the position in 1991

1997 -   Scott Highhouse and Mike Zickar join the I/O faculty

1999 -   Bill Balzer is named interim dean of the BGSU Firelands campus

2001 -   Highhouse is named Associate Editor of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Bill Balzer is named Dean of Continuing Education

2002 -   Carlla Smith passes away in July. Steve Jex joins the I/O faculty, and is named Associate Editor of Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology

2003 -    Jennifer Gillespie joins the I-O faculty after completing her doctoral work at Michigan State University

2004 -   Highhouse is named a fellow of SIOP and APA

2008 -    Mike Zickar is now the chair of the Psychology Department

2009 -    Scott Highhouse is named Eminent Scholar following the retirement of Milt Hakel.

2009 -    Bill Balzer is named Dean of the BGSU Firelands Campus.

2011-       Christopher Nye joins the I-O faculty.

2012-      Russell Matthews joins the I-O faculty.

2014-      Clare Barratt joins the I-O faculty.

2017-       Sam McAbee joins the I-O faculty.

2019-       Melissa Keith joins the I-O faculty.