By Madison Cane, Staff Writer
Newman’s Psychology Club has many events lined up for this semester, including free movie nights on the first Monday of each month in the Alumni Center.
All are welcome to the movie nights, which also include popcorn, chips, Capri Sun and desserts that correlate with the movies shown. But those who attend will get more than just a movie. The club is also asking attendees to reflect upon and discuss the psychological issues addressed in the movies.
“We look at movies that deal with the issues of parenting, neurodivergence, identity and mental health,” said McKenna Rhodes, a senior and executive member of the club.
Those who stayed after the first movie night on Feb. 10, where the 2024 film “The Wild Robot” was shown, were able to have a healthy discussion, she said. The animated movie tells the story of a shipwrecked service robot who must learn to adapt to his new surroundings as well as find his purpose and new identity.
“The more that we began to just have a normal conversation, the more other people chimed in, and it all ended up going very well,” she said.
The psychology club does not share the names of the movies it shows in advance but rather includes hints on its posters.
The next movie will be screened at 7 p.m. on Monday in the Alumni Center.
The psychology club, founded by Dr. Whitney Burke, assistant professor of psychology, started early before the pandemic but disbanded when it hit, Rhodes said.
The club includes six executive members and is actively recruiting new members. At the last meeting, there were eight non-executive members that joined.
The psychology club has plans to collaborate with other campus groups such as the Mental Health Advocacy Team, the Gaming Club, and the Newman University Medical Professionals Club to put on more events.
Rhodes says she finds that the discussions after the movies allow club members to actively engage with the Newman community.
“One of the things we all love to do about psychology is just talk, because it’s something that pertains to us all, and we find it so interesting,” Rhodes said. “The more we can all understand each other..., the better we can all live in this complicated world.”
PHOTO: Dannicka Mcgrath, Photo Editor
