Notre Dame psychology professor to speak April 27

University of Notre Dame psychology professor Cindy S. Bergeman, Ph.D., will speak Monday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in Daniel Memorial Chapel on the Furman University campus.  A reception with Dr. Bergeman follows in the Bryan Garden Room of the Chapel.

Her talk, “Are You Resilient? How to ‘Bounce Back’ from Adversity,” is free and open to the public.

Bergeman’s presentation is this year’s Hesburgh lecture, which is sponsored by Furman’s Office of the Chaplains in partnership with the Notre Dame Club of the Western Carolinas, and Furman University’s Catholic Campus Ministry. The event is also part of Furman’s Cultural Life Program.

When working as a social worker for senior citizens, Bergeman began to wonder why some of the people with which she worked have positive attitudes while others seem stuck in negativity, and why, when faced with adversity or stress, some weather the storm better than others. Bergeman has spent more than three decades pursuing answers to these questions.

Her major project is a decade-long investigation called the Notre Dame Study of Health and Well-Being, for which she received two grants totaling $5 million. Her current research focus is on the interplay among stress and uplifts (e.g., in areas of work, family, friends, health, finances), resilience mechanisms (e.g., hardiness, control, social support, emotion regulation) and health and well-being outcomes.

Established nearly 30 years ago, the Hesburgh Lecture Series aims to encourage intellectual dialogue between alumni, community members, and the distinguished faculty of Furman’s sister university, Notre Dame. Each year, Notre Dame faculty members deliver more than 200 presentations around the world. The series is named for Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame.

For more information, contact Mrs. Susan Bennett, Administrative Assistant, Furman University Office of the Chaplains, at (864) 294-2133 or susan.bennett@furman.edu.