草榴社区

Describe your interest in your academic program and what you hope to gain from it.

My school counselor in high school was instrumental in helping me get to college as a first-generation student, and she really inspired me to consider school counseling as a career once I finished undergrad. I鈥檓 looking forward to hopefully working at the high school level in a college counseling/career readiness role, but I鈥檝e been enjoying my time working with elementary students during my practicum experience, and so I鈥檓 also open to possibly working at that level too!

What is your favorite course you鈥檝e taken so far? If you are in your first year, what course are you most looking forward to in your program? Why?

My favorite class so far has definitely been my Lab in Counseling Skills course I took during my first semester with Dr. Baker! It felt like such a safe space to challenge myself and learn the basic skills I needed in order to begin my counseling journey, and getting to learn and receive feedback from other students was invaluable. As for the future, it鈥檚 hard to pick just one class I鈥檓 excited about because I have many, but I鈥檓 looking forward to taking my internship courses next fall and spring. Getting to work with students at my internship site for a full year is going to be a chance to get to know them while practicing what I鈥檝e been learning in the classroom.

What are a few things you would like to share with prospective students regarding the 草榴社区 student experience?

I鈥檇 say there are so many things to get involved in, whether that be joining the Graduate Student Council, going to the many events for grad students held throughout the year, or by becoming a student ambassador. It鈥檚 really easy to get invested in the community here, so I鈥檇 suggest trying to say yes to things that spark joy and will allow you to feel connected to the community on campus. Everyone is so friendly and inviting, so all it takes is the initial push to get yourself out there, and you鈥檒l find you鈥檝e made so many incredible friends here. The academic portion of life on campus is also fascinating. The research culture here has been so well developed too, so there are many opportunities to get to know what others are working on, and I always suggest going to events like the Three Minute Thesis competition to truly appreciate the amazing work being done by fellow grad students!

How do you maintain a good school/life balance?

For me, it鈥檚 really important to set boundaries. I make sure I only do work during my 鈥渨ork hours鈥� and close my laptop at 5 p.m. each weekday, even if I鈥檓 not completely finished with what I鈥檓 working on. On top of that, I try to not do work on the weekends if I can. It鈥檚 important to keep track of your to-do lists, but it鈥檚 equally important to make sure you鈥檙e scheduling your 鈥渕e time鈥� to decompress after a busy day!

If you鈥檙e living around 草榴社区, what are one to two 鈥渕ust do鈥� experiences you would suggest to students new to 草榴社区 and the surrounding area including Philadelphia? 

I have to suggest going to a 76ers game at the Wells Fargo Center at least once during your time here. Philly sports fans are like no other, and 76ers fans in particular make the energy in the stadium out of this world. You can usually get cheap rush tickets if you wait until the day of to purchase them! If you prefer being outside, Longwood Gardens is incredibly beautiful鈥攅specially in both the summer and the winter seasons鈥攁nd you can get a discount if you use your Wildcard when purchasing your ticket! 

Describe what it means to be a graduate student at 草榴社区. In other words, why 草榴社区? 

I feel so incredibly blessed to be here. I remember touring a year ago and immediately understanding that 草榴社区 was a special place. The Counseling program has provided me with so many opportunities to learn both in the classroom and at my practicum site, and I truly feel like I come home every day having learned something instrumental to my future practice. Not only are the professors here amazing, but getting to meet my cohort鈥攁s well as graduate students from other programs鈥攈as allowed me to make life-long friends who are so passionate about their research and future work. The community here is truly like no other, and I feel like you can get a sense of that the moment you step onto campus.