Donation supports psychology

A $100,000 contribution from a retired Mississippi State administrator is supporting graduate students in the department he once led.

The gift from Dr. Douglas A.R. "Al" Peyman of Starkville is supporting The Peyman Psychology Graduate Student Scholarship Fund in the Department of Psychology. Peyman served as head of the department 1975-90.

Professor and emeritus department head Al Peyman (r) with Psychology Department Head Stephen Klein.

The Peyman Scholarships are awarded annually to full-time psychology graduate students who have a grade-point average of 3.0 or above. The scholarship fund was originally established last year by Peyman's friends and colleagues.

Peyman's contribution memorializes his wife, Anne, who died last year. She retired as a nursing professor at Mississippi University for Women.

"Anne spent her entire life trying to help other people," explained Peyman. "Even after she retired, she put all her efforts and time into volunteer work and doing good deeds for others. These scholarships will remember her many activities by helping these graduate students."

A native of Canada, Al Peyman received his bachelor's degree in chemistry and his master's degree in psychology, both from the University of British Columbia. He earned his doctorate in psychology and taught at the University of Washington before joining the faculty at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

After a stint as head of the psychology departments of Alabama State Hospitals, Peyman became director of Mississippi State's Counseling Center. He was named head of the Psychology Department in 1975, a post he held until his retirement in 1990. Peyman currently is professor and emeritus head of the department and still teaches courses on a part-time basis.