Psychology Major Jobs and Graduate School Acceptances 2021

psychology

psychology

Ariel Levin-Antila

Majors: environmental studies, psychology
Hometown: Chevy Chase, Maryland
Employer: PULSE Pittsburgh
Job title: fellow

Job Responsibilities

I will be working at a nonprofit organization focusing on sustainability and social services, assisting with running and implementing programming goals and adhering to the mission of the organization. I will also be living in an intentional community with other fellows and completing volunteer and service projects throughout the duration of my fellowship.

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

Dickinson has shown me the importance of an interdisciplinary education that transcends political boundaries. Through my coursework, extracurriculars and work experiences, I have used knowledge and skills gained from multiple classes, ranging from conservation biology to the history of linguistics. As someone who entered college knowing exactly what career path I wanted to embark upon, Dickinson has provided me with not only a path to achieving my goals but with the freedom to explore my other passions along the way. The amazing people I have met, the lessons I have learned and the opportunities I have been able to take advantage of as a Dickinson student will stay with me long after I graduate.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I am excited to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply it to solving real-world problems. I believe that work needs to be done to ensure a just and inclusive world for everyone, and this generation has the power and tools to pave the way for such a reality. I want to continue learning and growing even though I will no longer be in school, always striving to be the best version of myself. Although I will undoubtedly make mistakes, I will rely on my support network as well as the wisdom I've gained here to see myself through the challenges I face.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

One of my defining moments was completing my independent study junior year with the Department of Psychology, right at the start of the pandemic. I took advantage of the opportunity to delve deep into a topic I am extremely passionate about (integrating behavioral science and climate change planning), and I loved being able to do research and ultimately construct a report as a culmination of my interest in the topic. Of course, another defining moment was studying abroad in Copenhagen, where I was able to broaden my perspective on issues I studied in psychology, sustainability and climate change.

Internship Experience

  • I served as an intern in Washington, D.C., at an organization called Earth Day Network, which plans annual programming and activities for Earth Day. There, I assisted the organization in planning the 50th anniversary celebration of Earth Day by conducting research on international Earth Day initiatives, contributing to press releases about pressing environmental issues and helping to structure grant proposals that would support future programming initiatives.
  • I also interned at Dickinson's own Center for Sustainability Education one summer, where I gained a wide breadth of knowledge on how our sustainability programs are run and the broader role of higher education in reaching sustainability goals. I maintained our living labs (The Hive, The Handlebar and Free Xchange), analyzed our sustainability data for annual reporting purposes and assisted with planning for fall programs, including October 2019's be.Hive conference in partnership with Rare.
  • I also completed a winter externship in January 2020 with the study abroad organization Youth For Understanding in Washington, D.C. Having just returned from my study abroad experience, it was fascinating to observe the effort required to coordinate abroad programs. I helped update their website, brainstormed ideas to name future programs and performed research on international organizations to partner with for funding and scholarship purposes.

Alex Lever

Major: psychology
Hometown: Paris, France
Graduate School: University of Groningen
Field of study: organizational psychology
Employer: Cerballiance
Job title: administrative assistant/referent

Job Responsbilibities

Responsible for COVID testing for schools in Paris, referent for the project. Responsible for billing several labs every day. Other administrative tasks.

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

Critical thinking, networking skills, discipline, independence...

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

Being able to find new ways of tackling problems with a team, using my skills to the benefit of a company, being independent.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

Meeting some great people along the way, becoming a French tutor, having interesting conversations with caring teachers.

Internship Experience

Deloitte, Paris.

Kacper Rzempoluch

Major: psychology
Hometown: Princeton, New Jersey
Graduate School: Syracuse University
Field of study: clinical mental health counseling

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

It has helped me to adapt to major changes in my life by helping realize that not every plan and expectation will be fulfilled totally.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I am excited to go to school in a new state and to become the first person in my family to finish a higher education degree besides a B.A.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

One of the most defining moments for me was when I finally decided that I wanted to become a psychology major. 

Internship Experience

Family Resource Network. Helped visually impaired students secure job and college opportunities by researching disability offices and connecting these student with proper resources.

Maura Koob

Major: psychology
Hometown: Springfield, Pennsylvania
Graduate School: Chestnut Hill College
Field of study: clinical psychology

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

Dickinson has prepared me for life after graduation through helping me grow intellectually, providing me the ability to network and cultivate great relationships with professors and staff.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I am anticipating learning more about clinical psychology and gaining the tools for what it is I want to do for my career as a psychologist.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

Some defining moments at Dickinson have been creating great relationships with my peers as well as professors. Also meeting amazing people who have spoken at Dickinson, like Mae Jemison. Another defining moment at Dickinson was being selected to go on the Dickinson Service Trip to Navajo Nation. That experience was an extremely important aspect at my time at Dickinson.

Internship Experience

  • Teach for America campus campaign coordinator
  • Public defender service Mental Health Division Social Work intern
  • Wellsprings research intern

Celia White

Major: psychology
Hometown: Worcester, Massachusetts
Employer: Americorps NCCC
Job title: corps volunteer member

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

Dickinson has shown me how to see life from many sides. It's taught me how to notice parts of myself that could be turned into something greater and how to tune into them in the company of people who have similar purpose. I've learned to welcome surprises; from institutions, from other people and from myself.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I am excited to be diving headfirst into hands-on community service. While I know that I want a service-oriented job, I'm still uncertain of what, but I'm looking forward to being able to take my love of the outdoors and of caring for others out into the world and make a difference in a tangible way while I figure out what track to take.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

Pre-orientation on the Dickinson College Farm; that two-day experience brought me a lot of blisters and a lifelong friendship. Also singing with the DTones, working as an Italian peer-tutor, caf-sitting, finding treasured faculty across a wide range of disciplines, and getting to create an exhibit for my job with the College Archives.

Sivan Komatsu

Majors: psychology, women's, gender & sexuality studies
Hometown: Jericho, New York
Graduate School: University of Washington
Field of study: school psychology

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

The skills, knowledge and experience I gained at Dickinson will undoubtedly be huge assets in graduate school and beyond. Between my two majors, I have a solid foundation on which to begin my graduate studies. My psychology major has provided me with a wealth of knowledge about mental health, and my women's, gender and sexuality studies major has allowed me to view mental health within sociopolitical contexts. Combining these majors has also allowed me to become skilled in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This background of knowledge will be incredibly useful in my Ph.D. program. I have no doubt that the experience I've gained from my classes, jobs, internship, externship, study abroad and volunteer work will serve me well after graduating from Dickinson.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I have been dreaming about attending this particular Ph.D. program since I was in high school, and the fact that it is about to become a reality is mind-blowing. I am so excited to continue my education and to use what I learn to help schools, children and families. I look forward to creating long-lasting, sustainable change in the field of school psychology through research, practice and advocacy.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

The most defining moments of my Dickinson experience have been when I was able to apply what I was learning in class to the real world. In January 2019, I participated in Dickinson College's externship program and shadowed clinicians at Wellmore Behavioral Health, a mental health and substance abuse treatment provider in Waterbury, Connecticut. In the spring of 2020, I studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, where I conducted psychological research and served as a clinical psychology practicum student at a school for adults with severe mental illness. I was also able to work with the Dickinson College Wellness Center to get mental health crisis hotline numbers on newly printed student ID cards. I will always be grateful for this opportunity to advocate for something so important to me and for the ability to make a change at Dickinson College.

Internship Experience

During the fall 2019 semester, I served as the Title IX office intern at Dickinson College under the supervision of Title IX Coordinator, Kat Matic. I collected data on Dickinson's Title IX-related programming and conducted research on Title IX practices at other institutions. My internship culminated with an in-depth analysis of Title IX best practices.

Jamie Singer

Major: psychology
Hometown: Livingston, New Jersey
Graduate School: Boston University
Field of study: master's in counseling with a concentration in sport psychology

Master's Program Description

I will be studying and working with various sports teams in Boston and around the country teaching them mental and performance enhancing skills. I will also complete a clinical internship in my second year of the program. I also hope to work in a research lab specializing in sport psychology research.

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

Having such close relationships with my professors, especially those in the psychology department, allowed me to seek invaluable advice and mentorship from them. When deciding to apply for graduate school in counseling psychology, I received an incredible amount of support and guidance from my professors. Additionally, working in the Clinical Assessment and Research Lab during my senior year under Associate Professor of Psychology Suman Ambwani made me a more confident researcher, motivating me to continue researching post-grad. Now, I am seeking research positions alongside being a full-time graduate student at Boston University.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I am excited to begin my field placements at Boston University where I will be working with athletes and teams helping them to perform at peak performance and providing them with the mental skills needed to be successful.

Internship Experience

During the summer going into my junior year at Dickinson, I went to Israel to work in a neuropsychology research lab at Bar Ilan University. I worked alongside a cognitive neuropsychologist on his research projects. In his lab, I completed a meta-analysis examining the impact that physical exercise has on the cognitive functioning of individuals with traumatic brain injuries. I also aided in general lab tasks like helping with in-person studies and editing papers to be submitted to peer-reviewed journals.

Elaine Drigotas

Majors: educational studies, psychology
Hometown: Baltimore. Maryland
Graduate School: University of Virginia
Field of study: educational psychology - applied developmental science

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

Attending graduate school.

Internship Experience

I worked as a teaching assistant at Kennedy Krieger Institute special education high school in Baltimore, Md.

Avery Priest

Major: psychology
Hometown: Southport, Connecticut
Graduate School: Boston University
Field of study: education
Employer: Teach for America
Job title: corps member

Job Responsibilities

I will be a 2nd grade teacher in Springfield, Mass. for two years through Teach For America. Because of TFA, I will be getting my master's in education through Boston University.

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

I’ve had many leadership opportunities here that have made me grow into a person who works hard, who advocates for myself and others, and who continues to be curious.

What are you most anticipating about your career or post-graduate pursuits?

I am excited to be a teacher for two years!

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

Selecting my psychology major was a big moment!

Sarah Scarbrough

Majors: psychology, dance
Hometown: Wading River, New York
Graduate School: Lesley University
Field of study: clinical mental health counseling: dance/movement therapy

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

Taking classes in the Department of Theatre & Dance.

Sammi Werner

Email: wernersa@dickinson.edu
Hometown: Cheshire, Connecticut
Graduate School: Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Field of study: clinical psychology

How has Dickinson prepared you for life after graduation?

I have a variety of life skills as well as the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life. I have learned time management as well as inclusion and variety.

What are some of the defining moments of your Dickinson experience?

  • The first day I moved in. I have never lived away from my family, and this was the first time I had done so, but Dickinson took me in and made me instantly feel like I was at a home away from home.
  • My first swim meet as a college athlete.
  • The first grade I received.
  • Declaring my major.

Internship Experience

I worked with the Incredible Years. I found it through the Department of Psychology. We were working with children while parents were learning about child-parent bond. The internship went remote and we continued developing curriculum.

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Published April 30, 2021