Alumni Interviews

Each semester the Psychology Department graduates many well-prepared students to begin careers and/or graduate studies in the discipline. Here are some recent examples!

Jill Baures graduated in May 2010 with a B.S. in Psychology and will pursue a Psy.D. at the Adler Professional School of Psychology in Chicago, IL beginning in August, 2010.

• What led you to study psychology at Viterbo?
  • One of my family members was diagnosed with a mental illness when I was young and I always wanted to learn more about his condition. I took a psychology course in high school and really enjoyed the material and decided to pursue a degree in psychology in college. I was familiar with Viterbo because my older sister attended here and I met a lot of students and faculty when I came for visits. I always felt comfortable at Viterbo because it’s small with friendly people. It has been my home away from home.
   
• What courses or experiences in the psychology program at Viterbo did you particularly enjoy or find useful?
  • During my Group Dynamics course my professor (Ron Schafer) helped me become a teacher for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), an educational organization using family-to-family interactions to help others understand and deal with mental illness.
  • In my Research Methods II class I conducted a literature review and developed a research proposal. Then I took Advanced Research and worked with a professor and other students to complete our project, which we presented at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) national convention.
  • In Biopsychology we learned a lot about how the brain works and helped me develop a better understanding of the interplay of biology and psychology.
  • My favorite experience might be my internship at the Franciscan Skemp outpatient substance abuse center. I worked ten hours per week with three counselors and was able to actively participate in group sessions. I worked with adults who were just beginning treatment and many who were in continuing care. I also worked with an adolescent group and particularly enjoyed that experience. It was really interesting to see clients progress through treatment and to observe the different styles of the counselors.
   
• How has your Viterbo psychology degree prepared you for the future?
  • Although I have much to learn yet, I feel comfortable and competent with psychological information. My education has prepared me for graduate school- I will attend the Adler Professional School of Psychology in Chicago to pursue my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree beginning in August.
  • At Viterbo, I learned a lot about myself and what I can accomplish. I’ve taken many interesting and difficult classes, conducted research, earned my Substance Abuse Counselor in Training (SAC-IT) credentials, and successfully applied to graduate school!
   
• Would you recommend the Viterbo psychology program to your friends and family?
  • Yes, definitely! The academics are awesome but the faculty really make the program. They all contributed to my education and helped me in different ways. The professors care about you here.
        

Sam Merry graduated in May 2009 with a B.S. in Biopsychology and also earned a B.A. with a focus on Substance Abuse Counseling in May 2010. After graduation she was employed at the “CARE Center”, a mental health and social detox crisis center, and plans to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology.

• What led you to study psychology at Viterbo?
  • I originally planned on preparing for medical school and wanted to double-major in biology and psychology. At other schools this was difficult to complete in four years, but the biopsychology degree at Viterbo allowed me to study both fields and finish on time!
   
• What courses or experiences in the psychology program at Viterbo did you particularly enjoy or find useful?
  • I really enjoyed my internship at the Gundersen Lutheran Learning and Developmental Diagnostic Center (LDDC). I received hands-on experience working with child and adolescent clients on an interdisciplinary team of caregivers. I participated by administering psychological tests and conducting in-school student behavioral observations.
  • My Introduction to Neuroscience course was co-taught by biology and psychology professors, which helped me understand multiple perspectives and bridge the disciplines. I became very interested in substance abuse issues in this class through Deb Murray. I also particularly enjoyed my Psychological Testing course. I like numbers and statistics and learning about quantitative methods to measure psychological processes.
  • Another cool experience I had as an undergrad was the ability to participate in research and present our findings at the American Psychological Association (APA) national conference in 2008 in Boston.
   
• How has your Viterbo psychology degree prepared you for the future?
  • I use the skills and knowledge from my education in my current job. I learned how to interview clients, how to ask the right questions, and how to effectively work with people who have big issues in their lives. My biopsychology degree helped me provide a more holistic perspective of individuals and how issues affect them in multiple ways. I apply a biopsychosocial perspective and recognize that there are no cookie-cutter approaches because each individual is different.
   
• Would you recommend the Viterbo psychology program to your friends and family?
  • Yes, I would. In high school I participated in PSEO (post-secondary education option), which allowed me to take courses at a large university nearby. Through this experience I learned that I wanted to be at a small school where I could get to know my professors, get involved with the Honors Program, and have the opportunities to conduct research, attend conferences, and experience internships. I also wanted courses taught by professors, not teaching assistants!