Halle Bakir
2nd Year | PhD Program | Birmingham, AL
Faculty/lab | Dr. Jenelle Shanley
Undergrad/Grad | Emory University BA in Psychology and University of St. Andrews MRes in Neuroscience
Email | hebakir@pacificu.edu
Research Interest | I am interested in studying and mitigating chronic illness and mental health disparities in rural communities.
Why did you choose Ƶ? For me the stellar faculty, program model, high internship match rates, and beautiful location were the ultimate deciding factors for me to attend this program. Specifically, though, my mentor’s research interests match my own and we had a great conversation on interview day that excited me so much about future work. Moreover, the students I talked to were all incredibly honest and encouraging which helped me feel like I would fit in well at Pacific.
Favorite thing about the program | The collaborative and supportive atmosphere between student and faculty
Tips | Seek out opportunities outside of school to diversify your experiences.
Career Goal | Clinical psychologist in a hospital setting
Hobbies | I love reading, running, hiking, traveling, and anything to do with theatre!
Alli Colberg
1st Year (Advanced Standing) | PhD Program | St. Paul, MN
Faculty/lab | Dr. Jenelle Shanley
Undergrad/Grad | University of Minnesota Duluth
Email | alli.colberg@pacificu.edu
Research Interest | Strengths based interventions and preventative care for children, teens, and families, socioemotional learning, community based participatory research
Why did you choose Ƶ? I was impressed with the clinical training opportunities and their commitment to the scientist practitioner model. I also appreciated the ability to “skip” a year through the advanced standing track! The final factor that really confirmed my choice was that I felt a great connection with my advisor and felt like my research interests were a great match for her lab and current projects.
Favorite thing about the program | The people in and around the program have been absolutely amazing! My classmates have become amazing friends and bring so many unique experiences and perspectives to every class. My professors and mentors have empowered me to make some great professional connections and are very encouraging of me to grow as a researcher and clinician.
Favorite PhD course | Integrated Seminar in Psychological Research. We are learning so much about how to be a good researcher, from how to develop a good research question to how to get published!
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | Start to figure out what your research and clinical interests are. Take time to talk with professors, graduate students, and practicing psychologists. If you are able, take on an internship or a research assistant position to gain hands-on experience!
Career Goal | I hope to work as an inpatient pediatric psychologist in a hospital setting.
Hobbies | When I need something relaxing to unwind, I love to read literary fiction novels and bake. When I am looking for something more active or adventurous, I enjoy hiking and playing rugby!
Alexandra Gutierrez
3rd Year | PhD Program | Hacienda Heights, CA
Email | guti4191@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of La Verne, La Verne, CA
Research Focus | Exploring levels of cultural competencies within childhood mental health/educational workers.
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Ƶ because of the sense of belonging I felt. When I first did my research about Pacific, it seemed like it was the perfect fit on paper. Then I was able to speak with my now mentor, Dr. Shanley and when she described the things her research lab does, I knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of. Dr. Shanley does work in her lab that works with outside organizations and focuses on implementation and helping the public. She fosters creativity with her students and encourages us to pursue our research interests and does everything she can to support us. Aside from academics, I also love the location of the campus. You can't beat the scenery out here!
Favorite PhD course | Applied Clinical Psychology I – I took this course with Dr. Harold Rosenberg and it made me feel eager for my program. Coming in, I was nervous that the clinical training would be too much for me to handle but in this class Dr. Rosenberg taught us how to conduct a clinical interview. It gave me my first look into what being a clinician looks like and made me feel confident in my abilities and excited to start practicum next year.
Hobbies | In my free time I love to read (and buy an unreasonable amount of books from Powell's), spend time by the water at a beach or a lake, and travel back to California as much as possible to visit my family, my dogs, and go to Disneyland.
Taylor Josefowicz
2nd Year | PhD Program | Wilkes-Barre, PA
Email | tjosefowicz@pacificu.edu
Faculty Lab/Mentor | Dr. Janelle Shanley
Undergraduate Institution | Susquehanna University
Research Focus | Resilience in youth and adolescents, Impact of familial structure on mental health diagnosis and support in youth
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific because everyone made me feel so welcomed and at home from the beginning. I connected immediately with Dr. Shanley and knew I wanted to work with her in the collaborative environment that Pacific offers. All of the students I met made such great connections with me and went the extra mile to ensure I felt comfortable, confident, and sure that Pacific was the place for me.
Favorite thing about the program | The collaborative spirit and opportunity to further develop my research and clinical skills.
Favorite PhD Course | Psychological Science 1 - I loved being able to dive more deeply into developmental psychology and being able to apply it to my clinical work.
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | Get involved from the beginning and don't be afraid to make connections! Building relationships through your mentor, lab mates, or members of other cohorts always helps to open doors in the future!
Career goal | Clinical Psychologist with a focus in child and adolescent care / Professor
Hobbies | I love cooking and baking ever since I started as a child with my grandma! I also love to read and find new places to eat with friends!
Annaleise McCullough
4th Year | PhD Program | Missoula, MT
Email | mccu7312@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of Montana
Research Focus | Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation implementation and evaluation, risk/protective factors in adolescent LGTBQIA+ populations
Why I Chose Pacific | I was really interested in the scientist-practitioner model and becoming a well-rounded clinician with a generalist approach to training. The mentor model really appealed to me, and the research being conducted at Pacific was exciting and aligned with my interests.
Favorite thing about the program | My cohort and the supportive faculty! Attending grad school is stressful! Having my cohort going through this process with me has been a great source of support and a great resource as we all lean on each other. The faculty of the Ph.D. program have been very supportive, flexible, and mindful of the workloads of students.
Favorite Course | Applied Clinical Psychology I - This course laid the groundwork for our clinical practice. I learned so much about different aspects of clinical treatment and really valued when we would take time in class to practice our skills.
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | Finding a job in a mental health related field was really helpful, prior to attending Pacific I worked in support positions in a group home, women's shelter, and crisis hot line to increase my exposure. Many of these places will happily accept volunteer work as well! Additionally, I took some online training in specific topics that related to the research labs I was applying to and found that beneficial during the application process.
Career goal | I want to work with adolescents and young adults in the LGBTQIA+ community, and research this community in order to promote resiliency and better inform care for these individuals.
Hobbies | I enjoy crocheting, sewing, cooking/baking, playing video games, and hiking with my little dog.
Riley Tingman
2nd Year | PhD Program | Seattle, WA
Email | rileytingman@pacificu.edu
Faculty Lab/Mentor | Dr. Jenelle Shanley
Undergraduate Institution | University of Washington, Seattle
Research Focus | Community intervention and prevention for at-risk youth, intergenerational substance use, and parenting techniques for vulnerable populations.
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific because they foster the Boulder Model, allowing for the importance of integrating both clinical and research into practice. This has been consistently featured in our coursework and in training thus far.
Favorite thing about the program | There are so many opportunities to grow outside the classroom including extra clinic hours and projects, and collaborations between labs and programs.
Favorite PhD Course | Applied Clinical Psychology I/II - In this course, we learn how to apply concepts in a real world setting, learn about nuances in diagnosis and treatment, and challenge our ideas of psychopathology.
Tips for getting observation hours/exposure to psychology | There are research projects, and additional clinic hours that are sent via email by faculty constantly. There are many ways Pacific fosters your experience outside of coursework.
Career goal | Outside of academia and private practice, I want to develop a non-profit for at-risk youth that acts on negative risk aversion, and offers mental and physical health care.
Hobbies | I am a huge adrenaline junky with interests in motorcycles, dirt biking, and tinkering with cars. Alternatively, I enjoy painting, traveling, plants, and yoga.