As a senior, I plan to soon achieve a Bachelors of Science degree in psychology with a minor in biology and a minor in nutrition. Throughout my years at Ashland I have accomplished various things. I have emerged myself into campus life through my job as a tour guide and my athletic involvement in cross country and track. I am also involved in research within the psychology department. Through Research Methods (PSYC 210 and 310), I developed and conducted a study analyzing the effect of stress on appeal ratings of food images. The following semester I presented my results at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, as well as the Undergraduate Research and Creative Acitivity (URCA) Symposium at Ashland University. I am still collecting data and even adding more elements to the study in order to present results with little ambiguity. As I work to perfect my study, I plan to present my results again this year at a conference and hope to submit an article to a peer-reviewed journal.
I have also been granted the opportunity to work with my professors on their research projects. I have been assisting Dr. Bonfiglio and Dr. Metzger in their study examining the difference between coping strategies and related performance on directed forgetting tasks with respect to autonomic reactivity to a directed forgetting and speech task as well. I have also started assisting Dr. Moore on her case study aiming to increase the memory capabilities of a man with severe short-term memory impairment.
This year I will also be shadowing a clinical psychologist in Ashland, Ohio. I feel that her expertise will give me the experience I need to get a better understanding of the job I hope to soon achieve. I will also be volunteering at Appleseed Community Health Center in Ashland, Ohio, counseling individuals through a rape and crisis hotline. This experience will be fulfilling in my ability to help others and rewarding in the opportunities I will receive to learn skills required in my future career.
Lastly, Ashland has allowed me the opportunity to expand my horizon by studying abroad in Germany. The trip consisted of two core courses totaling 6 credit hours and an unforgettable, life altering experience. I feel confident that my education at Ashland will result in admittance to a graduate program and furthermore the job of my dreams; as a clinical health psychologist.
