Stephen B. Coslett |
Stephen B. Coslett, Professor Emeritus of Psychology
Even though I was an unaccomplished chemistry major, Psychology Prof. Steve Coslett
had allowed me to talk my way into his pre-med courses where each of my classmates was
battling the grading curve to get into medical school. I had no such discipline, having
been more interested in getting WDCV on the air. Although he had given me two C’s
and a D, upon learning in ’65 that I had been accepted to Navy flight school in
Pensacola and knowing of my interest in science, he intervened. Dr. Coslett called me
to his office, sat me down with a list of accredited schools in the American Psychologist
and urged me to explore industrial psychology.
My first-year graduate texts included those on Dr. Coslett’s syllabus! Five years
later I had a Ph.D. instead of my pilot’s wings. Fifty professional publications
later and having been recognized as a Fellow of both the American Psychological Association
and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, my entire career has been
spent inside the beltway in Washington, D.C. I have been a business-school prof (American
University and George Washington University), a management consultant (Aon), chief psychologist
of a federal agency (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), and now have my firm in
Old Town Alexandria (Employment Risk Advisors Inc.). My recent professional contributions
range from successfully defending the New York State Board of Regents’ competency
exam for prospective teachers in federal court to building the three-and-a-half-hour
employment test used to hire 55,000 airport-security screeners nationwide. For this stimulating
career, I am indebted to Dr. Steve Coslett who exemplified the very best of what Dickinson
had to offer: a challenging classroom with a personal touch. Thank you, Dr. Coslett.
Jim Sharf ’65
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