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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Stephen Hupp, PhD, is the recipient of the institution’s 2019 Champion for Diversity Award in honor of his exemplary level of dedication to SIUE’s mission of fostering equal opportunity, and his outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Hupp will receive the award from Chancellor Randy Pembrook during the 9 a.m. commencement ceremony Saturday, Dec. 15.

“Everything I do has been greatly influenced by my inspirational mom, Deanna Hupp,” said Hupp, a professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Psychology, and licensed clinical psychologist. “As an elementary school teacher and reading specialist, she served a diverse group of children with many different learning needs.”

Hupp plays a critical role in supporting the University’s commitment to an inclusive campus environment. As the social-emotional consultant for SIUE’s Head Start/Early Head Start programs, he helps children prepare for success in school and life.

He and his team of SIUE students implement the Second Step and other social-emotional curricula, which support the development of emotion regulation, violence prevention and academic readiness skills. These services aim to close achievement gaps and increase opportunity for children in lower-income communities.

“It’s the teachers and other staff members who deserve much credit for working tirelessly every day to help children in Head Start succeed,” Hupp said.

Hupp has also helped introduce a social-emotional robot to children in Head Start. His other interests include parenting, the dissemination of evidence-based treatments and the promotion of skeptical thinking about pseudoscience.

He is executive producer of the Science Moms film, and has published several books about the science of psychology and skepticism. He helped organize the successful Guinness World Record attempt for the “longest line of books,” a feat accomplished with 21,048 books stretching 2.64 miles across SIUE’s campus on International Literacy Day in September 2017.

Hupp spearheaded the record-breaking effort and coordinated the donation of the majority of children’s books to children in Head Start programs in East St. Louis, Cahokia, Caseyville and Belleville. Other books were also donated to several SIUE organizations, local charities and an effort to send children’s books to Ghana in Africa.

Hupp teaches courses in child development, clinical child psychology, prevention, pseudoscience and field study. His positive influence extends beyond SIUE by making more than 50 presentations to community audiences.

“As an instructor of courses such as Child Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Seminar in Developmental Psychology, and as a frequent presenter to parents and teachers, Dr. Hupp is an advocate for children with disabilities and disadvantages,” said Paul Rose, PhD, interim dean in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior. “The work of Dr. Hupp and his students helps children and families, and also demonstrates SIUE’s value in the region.”

“In the last decade, more than 100 graduate students and nearly 500 undergraduates, all from SIUE, provided the social-emotional support services in our Head Start centers,” he explained. “We hope to keep helping children thrive in Head Start for as long as we possibly can.”

The Champion for Diversity Award includes a commemorative plaque and $500 donated to a University diversity project of the recipient’s choice or to his/her departmental unit to support a diversity initiative. Students interested in a career dedicated to serving children can apply to join Hupp’s team or can check out the SIUE Clinical Child and School Psychology graduate program.

Photo: SIUE Champion for Diversity Award winner Stephen Hupp, PhD.