James Wallace
Associate Professor of Psychology

In college, psychology interested Jim Wallace because it appealed to his scientific interests and his penchant for seeking practical solutions to human problems. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1970, he earned his doctorate in developmental psychology at Kent State University in 1974.

St. Lawrence offered Wallace a job, and, eager to get his career going, he accepted. “St. Lawrence reminded me of Notre Dame in many ways: the emotional connection between students and the university, the relatively large and attractive campus, and the resources available to students,” he recalls

His love for his students is evident in his work, and his students have good things to say about his eagerness to help them, both in and out of the classroom. In addition to chairing the psychology department, he is faculty advisor to Tri-Delta sorority, a member of the Health Careers Committee, and the University’s faculty representative to the NCAA.

After 31 years at St. Lawrence, Wallace has a lot of material on which to reminisce. Over 4,000 students have completed his course in Developmental Psychology, and children of his former students now enroll in the course. Over the years, one of his most enjoyable duties has been traveling to conferences to present research that he has co-authored with his students. In the end, though, he finds that having strong, close relationships with his colleagues in the psychology department is the most rewarding part of his life at St. Lawrence.