The Marjorie Scott Scholarship for Excellence (MSSE) is presented at commencement each year to a graduating student from each degree program who has demonstrated active participation in the MSP community and has best achieved excellence in academic performance, clinical work, and research. The PsyD recipient of this award has also demonstrated excellence in dissertation research. We are delighted to announce that Ancy Thomas (MA) and Courtney Cabell (PsyD) are this year’s scholarship recipients. Ancy and Courtney were honored during the commencement ceremony on August 1st.
This award is always extremely meaningful and important, but this year, it took on a special meaning and poignancy. Dr. Marjorie Scott passed away on May 11, 2025. Her legacy, contributions, and influence still live on at MSP in so many ways. The awarding of these scholarships is one reminder of the values and principles that she exemplified that continue to positively impact the students and broader community of MSP. We are extremely grateful for her life and work and proud to continue to honor and remember her contributions through the presentation of this scholarship.
MA Award
This year’s MSSE master’s award recipient is Ancy Thomas, an outstanding student in MSP’s Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis.
In his recommendation for this award, Dr. Blackstock shared, “Excellence isn’t just a list of things one does, it’s embedded in the person doing them. Ancy Thomas acts and lives with excellence despite the hardships she faces. She is consistently willing to take risks in class and gives her best effort to everything that she does.”
During her two years in the program, Ancy demonstrated a dedication to learning both in and outside of the classroom. She maintained exceptional grades across all MA and ABA courses while seeking out additional professional development opportunities, like Organizational Behavior Management coursework and certification as a Registered Behavior Technician, in a desire to pursue a well-rounded education. By attending numerous student engagement presentations and being active in student organizations at MSP, Ancy demonstrated her continued dedication to furthering her competencies as a practitioner and to becoming a more holistic clinician.
Ancy views the field of psychology not as a profession but as a calling. Inspired by years of work in her home country of India and by her experiences moving to the United States, Ancy is dedicated not only to providing clinical services but also to advocating for the mental health needs of underserved communities and breaking cross-cultural stigmas. Through her practicum at the MSP Psychological Clinic, she embodied her commitment to advocacy by participating in community outreach opportunities to conduct workshops and group sessions at local middle and high schools.
PsyD Award
This year’s recipient of the MSSE PsyD award is Courtney Cabell, an outstanding student in MSP’s Doctor of Psychology program and alumna of the school’s Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology Program.
Courtney was an active member of several student organizations throughout her time at MSP. She served as the President of the MSP chapter of Psi Chi for two years, Secretary and Vice President of the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance, and was a student representative on the Institutional Equity and Anti-Racism Committee. While in her second year of the doctoral program, Courtney saw a need within our institution that led to her co-founding the Association of Black Psychologists Student Circle at MSP. She then went on to serve as the organization’s first President.
Courtney’s affinity for leadership and service has extended beyond the walls of MSP as she has served on committees within the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 32, the World Congress of Existential Therapy, and the Michigan Psychological Association. Courtney has also earned a number of scholarships and awards during her time as a student including the Psi Chi Inez Beverly Prosser Scholarship for Women of Color, Division 45 APA Annual Convention Travel Award, and the APA’s Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment Research Grant for Psychology Students of Color, among others.
Throughout her time in the program, Courtney has continually impressed faculty and staff with her commitment to research as an active member of research teams at both MSP and Saybrook University, in addition to conducting her own research. She has investigated issues including trauma, racial justice, and culturally sensitive care, which has led to the publication of scholarly articles and book chapters, as well as presentations at conferences ranging from local to
international in their scope.
In her clinical work, Courtney has shown an ability to transition research into practice to provide affirmative and culturally sensitive care. She has taken on numerous clinical roles working in outpatient therapy, trauma assessment, and psychological testing. Across all of these disciplines, Courtney has been fiercely dedicated to providing compassionate and accessible care to Black, non-Black POC, and LGBTQ+ individuals, which she plans to continue through the work of her non-profit, Open Heart Communities.
As noted by Dr. Cusick in her recommendation, “It is rare to encounter a graduate student able to balance academic, clinical, and research rigors while serving in various leadership and service roles… Courtney has been committed to excellence in academics, clinical work, and research and focused on making our field more representative, inclusive and socially just.”
