Making Psychology Personal: Duncan Inspires, Connects with Students
As a nontraditional student in a community college classroom, Duncan, Ph.D., never imagined himself becoming an educator, let alone teaching at the doctoral level. But three degrees and decades of experience later, he can’t imagine doing anything else.
Now a lecturer in the University of South Dakota’s Department of Psychology, Duncan began his professional journey at Killian Community College in Sioux Falls, where he trained senior high school students for entry-level customer service roles – an experience that sparked something unexpected.
“I thought ‘This is kind of fun,'” said Duncan. “I enjoyed teaching beyond the traditional K-12 curriculum and started wondering what it would take to teach at the higher education level.”
That question led him to earn a master’s degree in counseling and return to the classroom as an educator at community colleges and technical schools.
His journey eventually led him to USD, where he joined the faculty as an adjunct professor in the psychology department in 2020.
Duncan teaches a range of courses from Introduction to Psychology to Theories of Personalities.
Duncan’s teaching style is rooted in authenticity. By drawing from his own lived experiences, Duncan doesn’t just teach psychology; he makes it real. His goal is to connect with his students on a personal level and create space for meaningful discussions.
“I try to get away from the traditional lecturing style,” said Duncan. “I engage students in conversations about psychology rather than just lecturing. Of course, we hit the statistics and all the information they need to know, but I really try to focus on what teaching looks like in 2025 through the lens of our students.”
In addition to his role as an educator, Duncan put his counseling degree to work in the field, serving as a marriage and family counselor and mental health coach for over 20 years. He leverages these experiences to transform psychology into something personal, practical and deeply human.
For Duncan, it’s not about making sure that students memorize every theory or chapter – it’s about making sure something sticks. “With every class I teach, I hope students walk away with at least one thing that resonates with them,” said Duncan. “I don’t expect them to walk away knowing the entire textbook, but I hope they understand how they can apply these tools to their career path as well as in their everyday life.”
While he teaches a few classes on the main campus in Vermillion, Duncan spends most of his time teaching at USD – Sioux Falls. There, he appreciates the ability to meet students where they are – both academically and personally – which gives him a unique opportunity to connect with them in meaningful ways.
“I appreciate that we meet the needs of some of our nontraditional students or students who have nearly full-time jobs and young families,” said Duncan. “Being a smaller campus allows us to offer more one-to-one approaches as they pertain to student needs.”
Duncan also serves as a substitute teacher for the Sioux Falls School District and is currently a doctoral chair for several students in the doctorate in leadership program at the University of Sioux Falls.
“I can truly say that I’ve worked from preschool to the doctoral level,” he said. “Everything I’ve done in my professional career has landed me here to what I’m doing, and I bring all of that experience with me.”
Duncan’s commitment to supporting his students and inspiring the next generation of psychologists has led him to a career that’s been beyond fulfilling.
“Education has been incredibly exciting,” said Duncan. “I get to learn about students’ strengths and their growth areas, and it throws me back to when I was an older nontraditional student. I want to inspire students of color, especially in our region, and want them to take away from here that we can take advantage of the professional opportunities that are afforded to us.”
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