Verna Monson is an educational psychologist specializing in ethics and character education in professional and adult education. As a Research Fellow with the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, Dr. Monson partners with Professors Neil Hamilton and Jerry Organ on research on professionalism, professional ethical identity or professional formation, and law school outcomes. Monson helps faculty develop research or evaluation questions that are grounded in theory and are useful to administration in evaluating the relative effectiveness of different components of the curriculum and co-curriculum. Monson led a recent innovation at St Thomas, partnering with Judie Rush, Director of the Mentor Externship Program, to develop instructional and assessment materials for faculty and students who choose to engage in feedback and dialogue on professional identity.

Monson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (Ph.D., 2009, educational psychology). Her thesis supervisors included Mickey Bebeau, a leading expert in the psychology of ethics education, and David W. Johnson, an authority on cooperation and competition in organizations, schools, and society. Her dissertation research focused on health communication and moral development within dental education. She is certified in lifespan developmental coaching and assessment based on Robert Kegan’s Immunity to Change model, used in a variety of settings in organizations and healthcare to help individuals manage difficult change goals.

She has presented her work at national and international conferences including the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers, American Educational Research Association, the Association of American Law Schools, Association of Moral Education, and the Association of Practical and Professional Ethics.

Verna is a member of the American Educational Research Association, American Evaluation Association, the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.

Verna volunteers in the area of anti-violence and character education in the community in North Minneapolis.