For Andrea Hussong, BA'91, participating in activities outside of the classroom was necessary to both put herself through college and be more involved in the school and community.

Hussong had various positions throughout her college career. She ran a before school program for Bloomington schools and worked as a house monitor for BlairHouse, a halfway house for adults with severe mental illnesses. She also volunteered at a rape crisis center and was a co-founding member of the IU branch of the National Organization of Women. In the department, Hussong worked with Peter Finn's lab group and spent a summer with David Pisoni's group.

"I loved service work, but once I discovered research I was hooked," she said. "I had incredible autonomy and responsibility in many of these positions, and I am grateful beyond measure to those who trusted me to make mistakes and fix them, fueling my love for the work."

Today, Hussong is a professor of psychology at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She has both a master's degree and PhD from Arizona State University. She said she is indebted to both Finn and several graduate students for helping her realize that she wanted to go to graduate school.

"I knew no one who had gone," she said. "This was just new to me and they made it both possible and vivid."

Sara Moellers Kleinschmidt, a 2003 graduate, is now in Chicago pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience and cell biology at Northwestern University. Next she plans to go into residency to pursue a career in academic medicine.

As an undergraduate, Kleinschmidt enjoyed doing research in Tom Busey's lab. The work led her to decide to pursue a PhD and an MD.

"The skills I've learned from my mentors for thinking critically about science, reading articles and asking interesting questions are essential to any job in academia," she said.

"It is also incredibly generous of them that, five years after graduation, I can still rely on them for tangible support in the form of things like letters of recommendation."

Kleinschmidt was an assistant instructor for classes in both physics and chemistry during her undergraduate career. Before moving to Chicago, she taught high school with Teach for America.

Dan Shapiro, a current student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at Emory University in Atlanta, attributes some of his success to his participation in various activities during college.

"My myriad experiences really developed the way I think about the world and pointed me toward what I hope will be my career," he said.

Shapiro not only worked in two different labs, but also participated in the IU Campus Band, Collins LLC Community, and student government, among other activities. In addition to graduating summa cum laude with an honors degree in psychology, he also earned a certificate in Jewish Studies and minors in both history and philosophy.

"All these activities were great ways to make a large university into smaller communities," he said. "I liked being involved in IU at multiple levels and being able to cross paths with such a diverse group of students."

And he found that diversity not only across the campus, but also within his main area of study. The diverse professionals in Psychological and Brain Sciences gave him the chance to see different applications in the field of psychology.

"The diversity of opinions and backgrounds one is introduced to at a large university like IU is pretty eye-opening," he said. "I had the opportunity to see what psychologists do and participate in research labs."

Shapiro is now in his second year as a doctoral student. His research interests include cognition in schizophrenia and developmental precursors of serious mental illness.

Alexander Murphy-Nakhnikian, a former participant in IU's Science, Technology, and Research Scholars program (STARS), gained valuable experience that helped him prepare for graduate school.

"By working with Professor George Rebec in the Program in Neuroscience for several years, I learned a great deal about the challenges involved in professional research," he said. "Having such experience as I started graduate school has made the transition from undergraduate to doctoral work easier."

After graduating in 2007 with majors in Psychology, Philosophy and Chemistry, Murphy-Nakhnikian decided at the last minute not to go to medical school. Instead, he took a job working for Rebec.

"(Rebec's) guidance inspired me to pursue a career in neuroscience," he said. "He is an outstanding teacher who is genuinely committed to providing excellent guidance to students from the undergraduate to post-doctoral level."

Today, Murphy-Nakhnikian is pursuing a Ph.D., double-majoring in neuroscience and cognitive science. He will work with Professor John Beggs in the Program in Neuroscience studying neural networks in the living brain.

"I am confident in my decision to pursue an academic career having experienced first-hand both the excitement and frustration that accompanies scientific research."

Megan Haselschwerdt, BS'07, found that despite her original plans to study a specific aspect of psychology, her degree and experience led her to a different track.

As an undergraduate, Haselschwerdt's plan was to be a clinical psychologist, and she thought it was the only route for her. Later, she learned about another possibility.

"I met with Dr. Linda Smith and she introduced me to Human Development and Family Studies," she said. "She explained it is important to keep my options open, and that clinical psychology was not the only option for me."

Once she looked into this possibility at the University of Illinois, she realized that research interests in Human Development and Family Studies were very similar to her own.

She applied to the program and was accepted.

"I did not fully realize this was the best program for me until about 1-2 months into my first semester," Haselschwerdt said. "I realized that this program really fit my needs and interests more than clinical psychology would have."

It is important, she said, to be open-minded and go with the flow.

"Everything works out for a reason, and I am proof," she said.

One alumnus psychologist attributes his success to his love for helping people and an interest in emotional disorders.

Dana Frantz, a 1973 graduate, now works for the Adult and Child Center, a community mental health center on the south side of Indianapolis.

“I have found it very rewarding to be of help to people with mental health and addiction problems, especially those who are disadvantaged and could not otherwise afford services,” Frantz said.

After graduating from IU, Frantz’s first job was as a counselor at the Indiana Boys School Reformatory in Plainfield. After that, he worked at the Midtown Health Center and the Gallahue Mental Health Center before joining the Adult and Child Center. He also has consulted privately for the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

As an undergraduate, Frantz saw himself working in the field of mental health in some way. He became much more committed to the field due to the encouragement of a professor, Tony Banet, Ph.D.

Frantz said counseling experiences and volunteer work during college both helped him choose a career in mental health and would be beneficial to any student considering the field.

Krista graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1993. She also majored in French and recently earned her Educational Specialist’s Degree (or EDS) in school psychology, which is equivalent to one year past a master’s degree. When we interviewed Krista in 2001, she was working as a school psychologist at Lawrence Township Schools in Indianapolis.

Krista works with children who vary in age from elementary school through middle school. Testing is a large part of Krista’s job; she tests the children who are referred to her by teachers and/or parents, and then the test scores are used to determine eligibility for special education for that child. She also consults with teachers and parents, attends case conferences, and writes reports of all the testing. She is assigned to two elementary schools and one middle school, and usually divides her time equally between the three. She also previously worked for a school in Shelbyville before taking the Lawrence Township job.

What interested Krista in psychology? She thought it would be a good start toward helping people and was an interest in college, so she decided to major in it. During her IU years, she had an excellent research assistantship with Dr. Jack Bates, where her interviewing and research skills were developed. That helps her a great deal in her current job, as do the abnormal psychology classes she took as an undergraduate.

What is her advice for psychology undergraduates? "Take some introductory classes and see how well you like psychology; also possibly see if you can sit in on some upper level classes, such as abnormal psychology. Also, if students are still unsure if they want to study psychology, they should pick up some psychology academic journals and see if they find anything that interests them there."

Holly graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1991. She then earned Master of Science in Counseling Psychology at University of Kansas and was accepted by the Arizona State University doctoral program. As part of her graduate training, When we interview Holly in 2001, she was completing a one-year fulltime internship required for counseling psychologists. Holly's internship is at Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) at the Indiana University Health Center in Bloomington.

What does a counseling psychologist at a university clinic do? Holly works with students who come to CaPS for services. She conducts biopsychosocial intake assessments, conducts individual, group, and couples psychotherapy, and crisis assessment and intervention. She also refers students to appropriate on- and off-campus services. As a counseling psychologist on a university campus Holly engages in outreach and consultation to other offices and programs on campus such as the Commission on Multicultural Understanding, Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, and Trans-gender Student Support Services, and the Student Academic Center. As an intern, Holly supervises doctoral students, does case file management, and attends seminars on current issues in the field. After she completes her internship Holly anticipates counseling clients, preferably in a multidisciplinary setting. She also hopes to provide supervision to trainees, teach a counseling psychology course now and then, and be active in counseling process research.

What undergraduate experiences helped Holly prepare for a career? She says that her psychology courses (including, to her great surprise, the course in motivation) were most helpful in preparing her for her career. She also learned a lot from her cultural studies courses (she chose African American Studies) and her religious studies courses. Holly says that she also benefited from a research assistantship with Dr. Bates, volunteering for the Listening Line, and from a Spring Break trip with Habitat for Humanity.

Holly's advice for undergraduates planning their careers: "First, start backwards: What kinds of activities/settings/people/locations do you want to avoid? Second, interview people who are doing things you think you might like to do. Check out your assumptions and get feedback. IU's Career Development Center is an excellent resource! Explore ALL of the various types of jobs in the field and different avenues, departments, and degrees that could get you there. If you are thinking about doing counseling avoid getting hung-up on the status hierarchy of psychology degrees--instead, simply pursue excellence and humble confidence."

Derek Ball graduated from Indiana University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. He also has earned a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy, both from Purdue University. When we interviewed him in 2001, he was working at the Marriage and Family Counseling Service in Rock Island, IL, which is a United Way agency serving the Iowa/Illinois Quad City area.

Derek Ball's agency has two full-time therapists, of which he is one, and also has two full-time interns, two part-time therapists, three support staff, and a volunteer board of directors. His job has three major parts: first, he works with individuals, couples, and families dealing with a variety of issues. Second, he supervises the interns in the clinic, who are completing the last step of their graduate training, and third, Derek conducts training seminars and presents at conferences and workshops.

What convinced Derek to major in Psychology? He actually went to college thinking that he wanted to be a business major, but after taking classes in a wide variety of disciplines, such as Classical Mythology, Calculus, and English, Derek found that psychology was the best fit for him. The lectures and readings in his psychology classes made him think and the professors in the department were some of the best he experienced on campus. He also credits all of the classes he took outside the department with making him a more well-rounded person and therapist.

Derek has this advice for undergraduates: "Take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, not only within your major but also at the university. Talk to your professors, find out what they know and do beyond the lecture. Also, talk to professionals in the field you are considering, because they may have specific advice that will help you in pursuit of that field. Finally, take advantage of all the cultural events around you, because you will never find such variety and quality in such a concentrated area. Make yourself open to every new experience."

Elizabeth graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University in May 1990; she also had a concentration in child development. After graduating, Elizabeth answered an ad in the paper for Stone Belt, the Bloomington-area facility that aids and teaches people with developmental disabilities. She is now director of an employment program there that helps people with developmental disabilities find jobs and learn life skills. Elizabeth’s program at Stone Belt also includes community outreach efforts and supervision of a day camp for children with developmental disabilities in the summers, administered in cooperation with the Bloomington Parks Department. She also has various other responsibilities such as writing budgets, overseeing enrichment and life skills programs, and staffing different programs.

What convinced Elizabeth to major in psychology? First of all, Elizabeth’s father is a psychologist, and he encouraged her to study the discipline. Also, she was interested in how people related to each other and she liked the fact that it was a broad degree. Elizabeth was interested in the social services, so a psychology degree seemed a natural extension of that interest. She did not know, however, where she wanted to work when she graduated; she though about being a psychologist like her father, but did not want to stay in school for the amount of time that would require. Elizabeth asserts that most of her psychology classes did help her in some way or another with her current job, and they helped her to understand how people interact with each other and the ways people get along.

Elizabeth anticipates staying in her upper management position at Stone Belt. Her advice for psychology undergraduates: "A psychology degree is a very good general degree. I think that you can go into the working world and be of value to a broad range of organizations. But, a psychology degree does not specifically prepare you for anything. When you graduate, you may not know what you’re going to do, so it’s a good general degree for those who aren’t sure what they want."

We interviewed Elizabeth in 2001.

Gloria graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1993; she majored in Psychology and minored in Sociology. When we interviewed her in 2001, she was working for the Welfare Department of Indiana as a Social Services and Welfare Family Supervisor in Indiana.

Working for the Welfare Department of Indiana in Lake County (near Gary), Gloria supervises other social workers in the same area and visits families who are on welfare on a regular basis. She evaluates the environment of any children the family may have, and ensures that resources and aid that the family receives is adequate. Once a family files for public assistance, Gloria usually visits them within 30 days of that filing. She tries to help them find jobs and verifies that the family is truly in need of public assistance. She also will evaluate the education level of the family and may help in getting members of the family to receive further education. Gloria hopes one day that she will be able to run her own social services agency.

What attracted Gloria to the psychology major? From a young age, she always wanted to help people, and liked interacting with and connecting with different people. Psychology seemed to fit this desire perfectly. Upon graduation from IU, however, she was still not sure what she wanted to do; three months later, Gloria found her current job in the Indiana Job Bank, published annually by the State of Indiana.

What advice does Gloria have for Psychology undergraduates? "When chosing your degree, you need to consider where you will live after you complete your degree because, for me, there were not a lot of jobs in the area where I lived that were psychology-related. As a result, I wound up not really working where I had hoped, which was in a hospital setting."

Stacey graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology, minoring in History in May 1999.

When we interviewed Stacey in 2001, she was working as a residential aide for the Center for Behavioral Health in Bloomington, IN, a group home that works to integrate people recently released from mental hospitals back into society.

Stacey performs a variety of duties at her job. Her goal is basically to help the residents of the house learn life skills that are necessary for them to live on their own. The residents of the home have mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and come from hospitals such as Madison State Hospital. Stacey attempts to teach them exercise guidelines, coping skills, social skills, and healthy eating habits. She also helps out social workers with medical situations and doctor’s appointments. In addition to these jobs, Stacey also assists with community outreach programs for residents of the home. She has had this job since she was in college. After getting her MSW, however, Stacey hopes to be a counselor to families dealing with cancer.

Why did Stacey decide to major in psychology? She has had an interest in the subject since high school and she knew that she wanted to work with people, so she decided to take some psychology classes. She ended up liking it, and she finds that a lot of the concepts that her professors discussed in their classes apply to her current job. She especially found her abnormal psychology classes useful in her job.

What’s Stacey’s advice for undergraduates? "Get experience outside of school, whether it be paying work or volunteer work, because meeting people and working with people is very important while you’re in school, and it will help you make contacts for your future career."

Jessica Shea earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in August 2001 and was headed for graduate school at the University of Kansas when interviewed in 2001. She will earn her Masters in Social Work in about 2 years. Jessica learned about the graduate program by looking through a lot of graduate school books and web pages.

Jessica's long-term career goal isn't in stone yet --- she is planning on going into gerontology or working with children who are hearing-impaired or deaf. She might work with other social workers or be the only social worker in the nursing home, hospital, or school. She knows that she will need to be able to work one-on-one with her clients and do some counseling.

Jessica was initially attracted to the psychology majors because she loved her high school psychology classes. She loved studying why people do what they do and abnormal psychology. While she did think about getting her Jewish studies certificate, she was already a junior when she transferred here and was excited about finishing up and so decided against getting the certificate.

Jessica says that when she started college, she was planning on going into clinical psychology. In her junior and senior years, however, she started changing her mind after looking at her life experiences and decided to go into social work.

What experiences in college helped her prepare for her career? Jessica says, "I think being a part of a small sorority at Kansas State University helped teach me assertiveness and how to be part of a good sized group. I think my wide range of volunteer work has given me a wide variety of experiences. I've volunteered in nursing homes, hotline volunteer at a domestic violence shelter, and as a FASE Mentor here at IU. I think working at Stone Belt helped me learn about developmental disabilities and how hard these people work to be a part of the community. I think being a part of Psi Chi at Kansas State University and being secretary of the chapter here has also expanded my interest in psychology. I have also done research in psychology here at IU and that also made me more interested in gerontology."

When asked what advice Jessica has for undergraduates she replied, "I would tell the undergraduates to get into activities that will make you feel comfortable and also talk to the seniors who have been there and done that."

Adam graduated in May 1993 from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Business. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate (JD), which enables him to practice law. When we interviewed him in 2001 he was an associate with Summers, McDonnell, Walsh, and Skeel in Pittsburgh, PA.

Adam’s duties as an attorney are varied. He works with other attorneys and clients, conducts client meetings, appears in court occasionally, and writes briefs and petitions. Adam is happy in his job and firm, and he hopes to make partner in a couple more years. This means that he would be higher up on the firm’s corporate ladder, and would entitle him to a higher salary and increased prestige at his firm.

Why Psychology for Adam? He was interested in people’s thought processes and how people behaved and why. Psychology seemed like the best fit for that curiosity. He knew he wanted to study psychology when he came to college and also knew that he wanted to attend law school and become an attorney.

What is Adam’s advice for undergraduates? "Have a plan of action going into college. Too many undergrads have no clue what they want to do and therefore end up changing their minds a million times. Just have a rough sketch of what you want to do in your mind and it will make you a whole lot more focused."

Joshua graduated from Indiana University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He double- majored in Psychology and Speech and Hearing Science. Since graduating from IU, Joshua has earned his Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of North Dakota. He now works as a speech pathologist in the Chicago Public School system.

Joshua works with children who are aged anywhere from 3 to 13 with speech problems or communication disorders. In Chicago Public Schools, many of the students there were drug babies, or have been abused or neglected. Thus, many students there have emotional and developmental problems in addition to speech disorders. Joshua spends approximately 40 minutes with students per week and tries to help them the best he can. Most of the kids are living at a low socioeconomic level and are at a disadvantage already. Joshua is on a team, which includes the child, a social worker, psychologist, parents, and a teacher.

Why did Joshua major in psychology? He wanted to figure out the methods behind thought processes and how people think and communicate. Therefore, he mostly studied cognitive psychology, but also had an interest in body language, expressions, and non-verbal communication. Joshua found his current job by attending a large job fair in San Francisco.

What advice does Joshua have for undergraduates? "If psychology majors don’t want to go into a counseling or social services field, then I would suggest augmenting their degree with another, because psychology is an excellent secondary major, and will definitely help with social skills in the workplace, but it is hard to have that degree stand alone."

Because her sister is autistic, Rebecca O'Bryan was always fascinated with the inner workings of the mind. She was especially interested in language development.

"Once I took my first Intro to Psychology course, I knew this would be a good major for me in order to pursue my interests," she said.

When she started working toward her psychology degree, she had the opportunity to work both as a lab manager and an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant.

"I greatly enjoyed the chance to do something other than go to class," she said. "I liked working in different labs and classrooms and seeing the application of the knowledge I was obtaining."

After graduating summa cum laude with an honors degree in psychology and a minor in biology, O'Bryan worked as a research assistant for the DeVault Otologic Research Center at Riley Hospital before beginning medical school in 2004.

O'Bryan is currently a physician pursuing residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She's interested in the inner workings of the mind and how trauma, stroke, and genetic factors play a part in personality, mental illness, and ability to function. Participating in activities outside of her academic life as an undergraduate helped her get to this point.

"I think it's very important to have something else you understand and enjoy that is not work-related," she said. "It makes you better at whatever it is you ultimately decide to do. It makes you more well-rounded in terms of taking care of patients working with others, or working with clients - whatever business you decide to pursue."

Cathy graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. She also has her Master’s Degree in Education and has about 45 hours toward her PhD in Education. She currently works as a fourth grade teacher in the St. Louis public school system.

Cathy develops curriculum for her fourth grade students, teaches her curriculum, and participates in various committees and workshops offered by her school system. She also conducts standardized testing for her students, and teaches all subjects to her students. She was not sure what she wanted to do when she graduated; she decided on teaching after graduating from IU. She used to teach special education in St. Louis, until she decided that she would rather teach regular education. She then applied for her regular teaching certificate and was hired as a regular teacher. She hopes to continue for another couple years in her current position and then retire a couple years early.

Why psychology for Cathy? Her classes in child behavior and child psychology helped her prepare for the classroom and help her to deal with a wide range of child behavior. Also, classes on child disorders and pathologies help her in the classroom. She wanted to work with people and believed that studying psychology was the best way to accomplish that.

Her advice for undergraduates is "Simply complete a four-year program and get a degree…it doesn’t really matter what degree, just complete a four-year program and you’ll be set, job-wise. Don’t assume you will use your degree for a specific job, but rather be open to all possibilities. That’s what I tell my son, because a four-year degree is very useful."

Lisa Spalding graduated in August 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. When we interviewed her in 2001, she had been accepted to graduate school at the University of Minnesota and planned toearn her PhD in Psychometrics.

Lisa isn't sure about the exact career she will enter when she completes graduate school but indicated that there are many possibilities, including both research/academic and applied careers. Research in psychometrics related to development, measurement, assessment of psychological tests. Applied careers are quite varied, but students of this program have gone on to work for state-wide or city-wide testing agencies, helping to develop better tests or to improve on existing tests (like ISTEP or CAT). Salaries for this field are also varied, but with the Bush administration's plan to test all grade school and high school students on basic skills, salaries in applied careers are likely to be quite high in the next few years.

Lisa was initially attracted to the psychology major because she wanted to do counseling in some form and thought a psychology major would fit well with that goal. Along with her psychology major, Lisa also completed a minor in Spanish. She says that what helped her prepare for her career included taking various classes in psychology to figure out what her specific interests were in the field. Lab courses, and a job in Dr. Sherman's Smoking Lab were also helpful in gaining understanding of all the work that goes into developing and carrying out studies and writing up the results.

What advice does Lisa have for undergraduates? Take a variety of courses within psychology, as well as related fields (sociology, criminal justice, cognitive science, etc.) to help narrow down your interests. Get experience working in labs, whether it's for credit or for money to get an idea of how psychological research works--this will help tremendously if you plan to go to graduate school.

Jill Villarreal, PhD’06, is using her experience in animal behavior to help improve the lives of pets.

At IU, Jill gained a broad education in animal behavior. She enjoyed courses and learning experiences offered within the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, as well as through the Departments of Biology, Anthropology, History and Philosophy of Science, and the Medical Sciences Program. She served on the Developmental Training Grant and was active in the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior.

Comparative physiologist Henry Prange and developmental neuroscientist Dale Sengelaub co-mentored Villarreal's dissertation. Her research addressed how environmental factors influence the morphological, physiological, and behavioral development of rats.

After graduation, Villarreal continued her interest in understanding the complex relationship between environment and developmental processes and accepted a position as an Animal Behavior Scientist with Nestlé Purina, Research & Development. This was an opportunity to extend her area of work and get involved in non-invasive animal welfare research involving cats and dogs.

At Nestlé Purina, Villarreal designs and implements lifespan socialization and enrichment programs, conducts continuous improvement in pet welfare science, and works with nutritionists, food scientists, flavor scientists, and veterinarians to better understand pet behavior.

Villarreal said she is pleased to be part of Nestlé Purina because of the rigors of their science and their passion for enhancing the lives of pets.

"Everyday I get to leave work feeling proud of the work I’ve done,” she said. “Not only does Nestlé Purina support my professional development they promote a healthy balance of work and home life."

Outside of her profession, Villarreal enjoys volunteering with her husband Ronald at the local animal shelter, hiking with their dog Ivan, and playing with their three cats Beta, Omar, and Niko.

Amy graduated from Indiana University in May 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Mathematics, also minoring in German. When we interviewed her in 2001, she was working as a computer consultant for Cambridge Technology Partners in Chicago, IL.

Amy mostly works with other programmers and consultants and manages projects, codes for computer programming, and resolves issues in her department. She plans projects, makes sure they come in on time, and that they are done correctly. Amy also plans team-building exercises and interacts with many types of people. She hopes to continue in her current position and then retire. She chose her profession during the interview process her senior year at IU.

Why major in Psychology? For Amy, it was an accident! She did very well in an introductory psychology class that she took, and a professor asked her to work in his lab. She became interested in it after that experience, and decided to major in it. In the lab, she analyzed data and conducted statistical tests, which parallels the work she is doing now. Thus, Amy uses her psychology degree very much in her job; there is a lot of personal interaction and team building, and this requires social skills and knowledge of behavior.

What advice does Amy have for undergraduates? "My Psychology degree helped me a lot as a preparation tool for my current job. I would recommend that you focus on a specific area of psychology, one that is in keeping with your career goals and possibly get a strong additional degree also; that will be a big help when you’re trying to find a job."

Megan McPherson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in August 2001. When we interviewed her in 2001, Megan was working as a Customer Service Associate (CSA) with Ward-Kraft in Fort Scott, Kansas. What does a CSA do? A CSA promotes new sales with existing clients and makes sure that customer stores have the supplies they need from the factory. Megan found out about the job by networking with family and friends. Her uncle worked for Ward-Kraft in a different department and let her know that CSA positions were open. Megan is interested in human resources as a possible long-term career goal.

What attracted Megan to the psychology major? She liked the way that the material being studied is so human, yet so scientific. Megan completed a major in Sociology and a minor in Spanish along with her psychology major.

Megan says that she discovered her career path during college. Being involved with student groups helped her learn how to reach realistic goals and how to work with other people. Working part-time jobs helped her to work with a variety of bosses. Being a UTI (undergraduate teaching intern) helped her see the process of education from a whole different perspective. As a UTI, Megan did a lot of the grading of quizzes and essays, discussed what material was the most important for the class with the professor, lectured once, and conducted review sessions. As a UTI she stopped seeing education as a long laundry-list of things to learn, but as major ideas and concepts she wanted students to grasp.

The classes that were the most helpful to Megan were those that were outside her own majors because they made her go outside her comfort zone and really get back to the learning process. In real life you have to not only remember the skills you learned in college, but you have to have had practice learning new ways of thinking. Megan says that she is glad she took a variety of classes from different schools and stayed open minded. By taking courses from a variety of disciplines she feels that she learned how to learn, how to ask critical questions, and creativity --- how to bring knowledge from other fields into her work.

What advice does Megan have for undergraduates? "Take a wide variety of classes. Don't limit yourself to your major--- get a well-rounded education and acquire many skills because you will probably change your career a few times."

Victoria graduated from Indiana University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice. When we interviewed Victoria in 2001, she was working for the Maryland Transportation Authority as a police officer.

Victoria’s job, which is centered in Baltimore, offers endless variety and unpredictability. She usually is assigned, with a partner, to one of the many subway stations in the city, and her job is to make sure that every subway rider arrives safely at their destination. On any given day, she may have to arrest a pickpocket, a thief, or a prostitute.

Victoria also has to write up reports, answer questions from citizens, and check in with her squad room, which consists of officers, detectives, and one supervising lieutenant. Victoria hopes that she will soon be promoted to detective after she takes the detective’s exam.

Victoria was attracted to psychology as a major because she wanted to understand the mentality of people who commit crimes. In her job, it is important to be able to relate to criminals, and to try to understand them, and psychology classes at IU helped Victoria in this respect. She knew she wanted to work in law enforcement in some capacity, and found her job after she and her husband moved to Baltimore.

What advice does Victoria have for psychology undergrads? "Psychology is a very useful degree, and the things you learn from it will help you get along with all kinds of people, which is very important in my job. Yet, I am not sure that I would do as well in my job if I had not also majored in Criminal Justice, so those of you who don’t want to be psychologists may want to supplement a Psychology degree with another more focused degree."

When we interviewed her in 2001, we learned that immediately after her graduation in August, 2001 Erika Braun was off to Freiburg, Germany to work on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. Erika found out about the opportunity for long-term ministry and for overseas ministry because she had been involved with Campus Crusade for Christ throughout college. Her job will entail establishing a campus crusade ministry at Albert Ludwig University. Because there are no central funds within Campus Crusade to give us a salary, it will be up to the ministry at Albert Ludwig to raise support, through family, friends, and other church organizations.

Erika would love to get another degree someday --- probably be in Theology or a Masters of Divinity program in a seminary. Erika would like to be in missions long-term hopefully overseas, but in the states would be good, too. If she goes to seminary, she might someday teach.

Erika was initially attracted to the psychology major because she was interested in the human mind, and how and why we do things we do, and think the way we think. While earning her Bachelor of Arts in psychology, Erika also majored in philosophy and completed a concentration in music.

Erika says that she figured out which career she wanted in college. She wanted to do missions work when she was very young, then there was a period of time when she had other plans. Working with Campus Crusade for Christ at I.U. lead her back to ministry. (Full circle, so to speak.) Experiences in college that helped her prepare for her career included belonging to Campus Crusade for Christ. She was part of several Bible studies, and also lead some. She took a year off of school (1999/2000) to live in Freiburg and do ground-breaking work for the ministry there. She is returning to continue the work that she began then.

What advice does Erika have for undergraduates? Study something you really enjoy. Don't study something you don't like just because it might land you a good job. Also, seek out what God is like. Campus Crusade is a good group. It provides good friendships, and the people involved tell you about the most important thing in our lives --- a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.