MSU’s Nadorff honored by nationally prestigious psychology group, named ‘Friend of APTC’

Contact: Sarah Nicholas

STARKVILLE, Miss.—For demonstrating long-standing commitment to the field of psychology, Mississippi State University’s Michael Nadorff is the recipient of a prestigious Friend of APTC award from the Association of Psychology Training Clinics, an annual honor presented to educators who provide unwavering support while training future psychologists.

Michael Nadorff portrait
Michael Nadorff (Photo by Logan Kirkland)

Nadorff, a professor and director of the MSU Department of Psychology’s clinical Ph.D. program, was recognized at the national organization for directors of psychology training clinics’ spring convention. The award is presented to non-APTC members.

Nadorff has led MSU’s clinical psychology Ph.D. program since its inception nearly a decade ago and guided the program through the accreditation process in 2016.

“I will be honest, this award means an awful lot to me,” said Nadorff, who also acknowledged Emily Stafford, MSU’s psychology clinic director, and Kristy McRaney, director of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Behavioral Health, as keys to his success.

“There is a close symbiotic relationship between training directors and clinic directors—we both have to be doing our job for all to go well. To be recognized like this at a national level feels simply amazing,” Nadorff said. “It has been a great honor and pleasure working with Dr. Stafford, Dr. McRaney and the other training clinics in the state. I am so honored to win this award suggesting that it has had a notable impact on the training clinics.”

Currently, Nadorff is managing more than $12.8 million in grant funding that directly impacts student training and mental health in Mississippi.

“Dr. Nadorff has been an incredible supporter of the USM Center for Behavioral Health—a clinic that is not even housed in his own institution. A few years ago, our campus experienced a student death. When Dr. Nadorff heard the news, he immediately reached out,” McRaney said. “He did what Michael Nadorff does—he showed up to offer that support. He was on our campus and providing not one, but two, suicide prevention/postvention trainings for our clinicians and faculty.”

Nadorff has served as a board member on the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology since 2021. He is the president of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and attended last year’s ATPC conference as the CUDCP board liaison. He has conducted seven American Psychological Association accreditation site visits and chaired four of those visits. He is the publisher of almost 100 manuscripts.

For more details about MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Psychology, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.psychology.msstate.edu.

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