By Kaitlyn Kelley
Class of 2021
Everyone get psyched! In May 2021, the Adams State psychology department will graduate its largest class, with a total of 25 undergraduate students.
I will be among the 25 graduating this semester, and I can’t express enough how much of an impact my fellow students and teachers made on my life these last three years.
All the psychology professors went out of their way to make sure every student in the department has the tools they need to succeed. During my testing and assessing class with Psychology Professor Jeff Elison, Ph.D., I was struggling with the statistical analysis and he took time out on Thanksgiving Day to make sure I understood the material.
Associate Psychology Professor Rena Kirkland, Ph.D., noticed I was looking a little down in class, and helped me through a personal issue that was interrupting my learning.
Assistant Psychology Professor Michael Liebhaber, Ph.D., never failed to support everyone by asking about the organizations we were involved in or how each sports team on campus was doing.
Psychology Professor, Colleen Schaffner, Ph.D., department chair, is one to always go out of her way to make sure students have the resources they need to succeed after graduation.
Associate Psychology Professor Gina Mitchell, Ph.D., has always gone out of her way to make sure that she creates memorable learning experiences. For her mental health class, she took us to the mental institution in Pueblo, Colorado.
Similar to my experience, student Victoria Medina had many great things to say about the department. “In my short time at Adams State (one year), I really developed a love for learning. Every psychology class I have taken has been so interesting and fulfilling”
The futures of the students have the professors pretty psyched, too. “The whole department has been celebrating as news comes in of our students being accepted into various graduate programs and being hired for jobs already,” says Elison about the 2021 graduating class. “We know they will represent Adams State well, a fact of which we are proud.”
A few of the students graduating from Adams State with great opportunities ahead are Seth Papineau, Ky Archibald, and Adela Valencia Lucero.
Papineau was accepted into graduate school at Florida State University for sports psychology, which has been his dream for years. Archibald has a few options as she has been accepted into several different master’s programs in California, and Lucero was offered a full-time job at Valley Wide Behavioral Health following an internship she received through Adams State.
Alongside my talented classmates I received a graduate assistant coaching position at Park University in Gilbert, Arizona.
The connections and experiences gained at Adams State will be something the psychology graduating class of 2021 will cherish for the rest of their lives.
