First Year Student
Advisor: Rebecca Schlegel
Stephen is a first-year graduate student pursuing a PhD in social psychology under Dr. Rebecca Schlegel. Stephen is broadly interested in questions surrounding meaning in life, moral development, and political extremism. His current research specifically involves self-essentialism, utopian thinking, and teleological reasoning.
He grew up in South Dakota before moving to Waco, Texas, where he attended Baylor University. He graduated summa cum laude in May 2024, majoring in neuroscience and minoring in philosophy. While at Baylor, Stephen worked as a research assistant in the Autonomic Function Laboratory and was involved in multiple service organizations, including leading a Kid’s Club at the Kate Ross public housing complex.
Email: stephenbender@tamu.edu