Alumni Spotlight Archive

Laura Goebel, BA'2008, had many experiences as an undergraduate that helped her along her pathÑ-including working in a lab, studying abroad in Spain, and even babysitting.

Today, Goebel is in a school psychology M.Ed./Ed.S. program at Loyola University Chicago and works as a part-time nanny and therapeutic day school volunteer. While taking the course "Planning your Psychology Career" (P 199), she had the assignment to make a portfolio about a psychology career she found interesting. The work made her realize what she wanted to do after college.

"I chose to research school psychology," she said, "and now I'm in a graduate program, pursuing school psychology as my career."

From 2005-06, Goebel worked as a research assistant in Linda Smith's Cognitive Development Lab. She said she would advise current students to be involved with a lab to gain experience outside the classroom.

During the 2006-07 school year, Goebel studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, which she cites as one of her most beneficial experiences at IU.

"I did miss IU while I was gone," she said. "But being able to study abroad really changed my life and helped me grow both professionally and personally."

In the future, Goebel hopes to use her knowledge of Spanish to work with Hispanic populations in her career.

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."

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.

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 clientsÑwhatever business you decide to pursue."

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.

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."

For 2007 graduate Jordan Delong, learning to research laid a framework that he plans to add to for the rest of his career.

"The skills and understanding I got at IU are always going to be a part of what I do in the future," he said. "My time at IU gave me opportunities to make it into my current Ph.D. program, and was the stepping stone for any jobs I may have in the future."

DeLong is currently working toward a Ph.D. at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. He hopes to return to the Midwest someday for a faculty position. He's most interested in studying the various aspects of perception.

One 2008 honors graduate already has her foot in the door for a future career in cognitive science. Melissa Troyer graduated with bachelor's degrees in psychology, cognitive science, and French. She is now a PhD candidate in MIT's Brain and Cognitive Science department and hopes to become a professor of cognitive science.

Troyer not only had more majors than the average students, but she also participated in various activities in her time at IU. She was a research assistant in Professor David Pisoni's Speech Research Lab; a member of the Union Board, IU's largest student programming organization; an assistant director for the lectures committee; a member of the Student Organization for Cognitive Science; an executive board member of the IU Linguistics Club; a member of the Timothy Organization, a group that provides health care to underprivileged individuals in poor areas of the world; an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for a math and logic course in the Cognitive Science Program; and a computer programmer in Professor Tom Busey's lab.

Academic activities outside of the classroom helped Troyer make career connections and helped her realize her dream of becoming a professor.

"Learning how to think scientifically, ask research questions, and test those questions experimentally was an extremely valuable experience for me," she said. "As a computer programmer, I helped create computer applications for use as teaching tools. This experience, along with serving as a teaching assistant, was wonderful as it began to teach me how to teach."

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.

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.

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.