Karen and Lewis Wessel of Hilton Head Island, announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Leah Wessel, to James Andrew Grand of Akron, Ohio, the son of Kathy and Barry Grand of Auburn, Ala.

The bride-elect is a 2002 graduate of Hilton Head High School. She received her bachelor’s degree with honors from Rice University in 2006 and a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University in 2012. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Akron.

The groom-elect graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University in 2006 and received a Ph.D. from Michigan State University in Organizational Psychology in 2012.

The wedding will be Dec. 29, 2012.