Degree & Year in Program
1st year MA student
Advisors
Dr. Kimberly A. Tyler, Dr. Philip Schwadel
Areas of Specialization
Substance use, mental health, victimization, rural communities
About Me
I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Ethnic Studies here at UNL. Upon completion, I worked for a non-profit organization, CenterPointe, that strives to assist adults struggling with unstable housing, mental health illnesses, and/or substance misuse. While working with this population, my passion to continue my education and gain a greater knowledgebase on how I can assist and care for these individuals grew. After a year and a half at CenterPointe, I began working for the Rural Drug Addiction Research Center at UNL. I was involved in the research environment – interviewing participants, discussing harm reduction tactics, and coordinating another research project. During this work experience, my desire to immerse myself further into the research and academic world deepened. Currently, I am a Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Kimberly Tyler working prima rily with the homeless and unstable housing population and examining substance use and victimization.
The welcoming and supportive environment in which the Sociology Department at UNL operates is one of my favorite aspects of attending graduate school here. I find it easy to approach my cohort members and professors with any questions I have. There is a “team” aura within this department which makes it an even richer experience for the graduate students attending.
After graduating with my MA in sociology, I hope to attend a Clinical Psychology PhD program to continue my education and research in substance misuse, mental health, and victimization.