Cynthia Edwards

Cynthia Edwards is a Professor of Psychology at Meredith College, affiliated with the School of Education, Health and Human Sciences. She has been with Meredith since 1991, balancing teaching, research, and administrative roles. Her research focuses on social support during transitional phases for young adults, particularly high school-to-college and college-to-career transitions. Edwards mentors students in collaborative research projects and supervises Psychology Community Field Placements.

Edwards holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Developmental Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. in Psychology from Wake Forest University. She completed the Harvard Institute for Higher Education's leadership program in 2008.

Her work emphasizes leadership development in young women, stress management during life transitions, and fostering social networks. Notable outputs include co-authored publications on leadership dynamics, invited addresses on career-building strategies, and TEDx talks addressing political polarization through psychological frameworks.

• Received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Profession (20XX)
• Friend of Dorothea Dix Mental Health Community Service Award (20XX)
• Distinguished Alumna in Psychology from Wake Forest University (20XX)

Maintains an active student-led research laboratory and has mentored numerous students presenting at national/international conferences. Her teaching spans Developmental and Social Psychology courses, with a focus on applied learning through community placements.