Joseph A. Trzasko, PhD

Dr. Joseph Trzasko grew up in a household that placed a high value on education. His parents and his grandmother were integral in instilling this value and he first leaned into his interest in science with respect. Originally majoring in nuclear physics and wanting to focus on mathematics, he attended the Courant Institute at New York University and realized the subject wasn’t for him. From there, Dr. Trzasko turned his attention to whatever subject he was naturally good at and found this in psychology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from the University of New Hampshire in 1967 and continued his studies at the University of Vermont. In 1969, he received a Master of Arts and then had to make the choice between going for an MD to become a neurosurgeon or receiving a doctorate in psychology. The universe seemed to speak for him when the University of Vermont offered him a free ride to receive the doctorate and in 1972, Dr. Trzasko received a PhD. He continued with a postdoctoral internship at the Ridge State Home and Training School before embarking on his career.

Dr. Trzasko joined the faculty at Mercy College as a full professor in 1969 and remained committed to working at this institution until 2008, whereupon he became a professor emeritus. In addition to this position, Dr. Trzasko joined the Jewish School for the Blind in 1983 and remained a consulting psychologist in this venture until 2002. In 1985, he simultaneously began as a consulting psychologist at the Orange County A.H.R.C., remaining here until 2009. Furthermore, from 1969 to 2008, he helped scores of patients as a staff psychologist at St. Dominic’s Intermediate Care Facility for Development of the Disabled. In addition to these positions, he has served as a consulting psychologist for Opengate Inc., as a neuroforensic psychology at the Supervised LifeStyles Behavioral Health Clinic and as a chair of educational psychology at the Educational Testing Service. With many accomplishments throughout his career, some of the exceptional notability include receiving funding as a National Science Foundation faculty researcher grantee and being selected as a National Defense Education Act fellow at the University of Vermont. Throughout his career, he has maintained affiliation with the American Psychological Association and the American College of Forensic Examiners.