Courses Taught
Introduction to Psychology, Human Sexuality, Neuroscience, Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Counseling Theory, Adolescent Development, Child Development, Adult Development, Internship in Psychology, Introduction to Gerontology, Introduction to Human Services, Psychological Aspects of Aging, Physical Aspects of Aging, Death, Dying, and Bereavement , Human Development Senior Seminar, Internship in Human Development, Counseling Theory, Personality Theory, Biological and Psychological Aspects of Trauma

About
Elaine Sharpe brings over 40 years of clinical experience to the psychology department. During her time in the field Sharpe served 14 years at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois ultimately as Director of Child Welfare for a four County area. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Sharpe has provide individual, couple, and family counseling throughout northern Illinois. She is a member of the American Mental Health Counselors Association and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.

Sharpe joined the Psychology as an adjunct faculty member in 1999 and as a full time faculty member in 2010.Sharpe has been recognized with both the Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching and the Outstanding Community Based Learning Faculty Member of the Year (twice) awards. Her commitment to Community Based Learning in her courses earned her, along with her community partner, the distinction the McCormick Tribune Civic Engagement Role Models of the Year for 2009. Sharpe demonstrates her passion for civic engagement serving as President of the Executive Board of the Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, the Boone County Council on Aging, the Belvidere Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, Winnebago Violence Reduction Work group, Winnebago County Trauma-Informed Community, and Anti-Sex Trafficking Education Work group, and the RU Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement Advisory Board.

Her passion for bringing real life experiences to RU Psychology and Human Development students led to her coordination of the first ever Behavioral Health Team (RU students) participating in a community-wide Bio-terrorism simulation and Art Rounds at the Rockford School of Medicine developing inter-professional communication skills in client care. Sharpe’s current area of research interest is trauma

Research Interests:
Trauma and Resilience

Publications/Presentations
Professor Sharpe has been a frequent consultant and presenter in the areas of staff development and communication in the education, human service, and medical fields.

Professional Memberships and Community Service
APA Society for the Teaching of Psychology
American Mental Health Counselors Association
Northwestern Area Agency on Aging, President Executive Board
Boone County Council on Aging Board
Memory Café, Boone County, IL, Program Facilitator, Founding Committee Member
Trauma Informed Trainer Work group
Dementia Friendly Community Founding Group
Peer to Peer UIC/RPS 205 Program Advisor
Judge McGraw’s Sex Trafficking Education work group
Winnebago County Violence Reduction Work group