Vicki G. DiLillo
Bishop Herbert Welch Meritorious Teaching Award (2026);
Libuse L. Reed Endowed Professorship (2013-2015);
Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers (2008)
2026 Commencement Ceremony Excerpt
Vicki DiLillo, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and serves as the co-director of the Public Health program at Ohio Wesleyan University. Since joining the faculty in 2004, Dr. DiLillo has pioneered a curriculum that bridges clinical expertise with community wellness, instructing core courses such as Counseling and Psychotherapy, Health Psychology, and Behavior Modification.
A specialist in clinical health psychology, Dr. DiLillo's scholarship examines modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including stress, obesity, and physical activity, with a particular focus on health behaviors in college students. Her work utilizes "Motivational Interviewing," a sophisticated clinical strategy designed to empower individuals to overcome the psychological barriers to lifestyle change. This expertise directly benefits her students, whom she mentors in the delicate art of balancing physiological data with human motivation.
Dr. DiLillo's commitment to the student experience extends beyond the laboratory; she is a dedicated mentor who has served as a Faculty Partner to the Battling Bishops softball team for over a decade. Her excellence as a teacher-scholar has been recognized through the prestigious Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers (2008) and her appointment to the Libuse L. Reed Endowed Professorship (2013).
2007-2008 Commencement Ceremony Excerpt
I am pleased to announce that the winner of the Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for the Year 2008 is assistant professor of psychology, Vicki DiLillo.
Vicki graduated from Wake Forest University, majoring in psychology and minoring in biology. She received a masters of science and Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology from the University of Miami. She went on and became a post-doctoral scholar in the Department of Psychology at The Ohio State University before becoming an Assistant Professor in the Behavioral Medicine Unit, Division of Preventive Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Vicki joined the Ohio Wesleyan faculty in 2004.
Vicki's research in health psychology focuses on the examination of psychosocial and behavioral aspects of cardiovascular disease. She is interested in targeting modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as depression, obesity, and poor adherence to lifestyle and medication recommendations. She has published nearly a dozen scientific articles, three book chapters, and given over two dozen presentations at scientific meetings on the topic.
Dr. DiLillo's talents don't end with her research…she also excels in her teaching. According to Vicki's students and in their own words, "she exhibits awesome enthusiasm with great organization."
Another students states that "she is one of the most helpful, fair and motivated professors I have had."
Still another student states that "she is an all-around wonderful professor. She is perfect and great at stimulating an interactive learning environment. An hour and a half almost always went by fast—sad it's over."
And finally this student writes "she stimulates intellectual curiosity both in and outside the classroom and is extremely kind. She is always available for help and easy to talk to. You just have to take a class with her before you graduate."
Vicki, some great tributes! Congratulations!