Graduation Year: Class of 2008

Major: Psychology with a minor in Child Development

Hometown: Apex, North Carolina

Activities at Peace College: Peer Educator, Peace Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board President, Alpha Chi: Honor Society for Juniors and Seniors, Psi Chi: National Honor Society in Psychology, Phi Theta Kappa: National Honor Society, Graduation Marshal for three years.

Hayden has had many opportunities to do research during her time at Peace College. Hayden first worked with Drs. Whitney Cain and Kimberly Eaton in a Research Spotlight Class involving Qualitative Research of Women in Homelessness. Hayden was able to conduct interviews with homeless women to get their life stories. During her second research opportunity she worked with Drs. Betty S. Witcher and Mark Cushman through a course titled Independent Research. She studied the influence of Injunctive and Descriptive Norms on Health Eating Behaviors. Finally, Hayden is currently working on and has been since her junior year, creating and implementing her own Independent Research. Her study involves Quantitative Research, looking at the influence of self-esteem, life-stressors, and coping strategies on depressive symptomatology in Women living in Homelessness.

While Hayden has been at Peace she has been fortunate to have served in several leadership roles. She has served as a Peer Educator for three years where she co-instructed a first-year seminar course dealing with topics such as transition into the college atmosphere. Another enriching experience involves Hayden's time serving in the Peace Student Government Association.

As a junior, she served as the Campus Activities Board president where she helped to plan and implement several of the traditional events on campus. As a senior, Hayden serves as the Peace Student Government Association president. In this role, she serves as the Executive Council president where she works with a board of women who are devoted to creating proposals and initiatives that help to recognize Peace College students, faculty, staff, and administration, as well as creating a better overall campus community.

After graduation from Peace College, Hayden plans to attend the College Student Development Masters of Arts program at Appalachian State University.