Law and psych. club brings professional speakers to CNM

By: Rene Thompson, Editor-in-Chief | Photo By: Society of Law and Psychology

The Society of Law and Psychology is a com­munity service club designed to promote the scholarship of legal and psychology issues, said Paralegal Studies major and President of SLP Gabriel Roybal.

The club was estab­lished in the spring of 2013 and has monthly meetings, sometimes with guest speak­ers in the Jeannette Stromberg Hall Auditorium, Room 303, according to the CNM website. The group has had speakers in the past such as keynote speaker Kevin Dougherty, JD, who was a former mili­tary district attorney and judge.

“We basically are trying to find profes­sionals in the field to come in and speak, usually once per month, to students who are studying crim­inal justice, psychology, paralegal studies and sociology,” Roybal said.

The chosen speaker comes up and talks for 45 minutes to an hour and then answers stu­dents’ questions after­ward, he said.

“We don’t really have a membership; we just kind of invite stu­dents, and these meeting are open to the public, so we leave the door open and anyone who is inter­ested in attending these meetings can join and ask questions,” he said.

Dr. Ron Yeo, who is clinical psychologist and has served as an expert witness, came in and spoke specifi­cally about traumatic brain injury and how people accused of crimes with brain injuries are assessed, he said.

“Jim Johnson, psy­chology professor is interested in present­ing a speech on audi­tory hallucinations, and he will bring a sensory device that essentially shows people what it is like to hear voices and sounds that aren’t there, which I think will be really interesting. He should be coming here to speak in September during the fall semes­ter,” Roybal said.

Roybal said that the club has to be reap­proved for the fall as a chartered school orga­nization, and he believes they will be approved.

“Our purpose is to serve the community and to help students think about what they are studying and to take it to a deeper level and see some practic­ing professionals in their fields of study,” Roybal said.

For more infor­mation on the SLP or upcoming events, con­tact club President Gabriel Roybal, at groybal23@cnm.edu.