We asked some of our outstanding seniors about a couple of their most memorable experiences at UMass Amherst
Van Le
Every Spring semester, as a Peer Financial Coach at Smart About Money (Student Success), I participate in an event called Cash Cab where we drive around campus in a golf cart, offer students rides to their classes, and ask them financial literacy questions. We even have Sam the Minuteman join us every time! I love engaging UMass students from various cultural and financial backgrounds in financial education and bringing their awareness to the resources we have at UMass and beyond. Plus, driving the golf cart is super fun!
For my senior research project, I'm writing a manuscript for a past research study that aimed to better understand the physical care experiences of patients with psychiatric conditions and/or substance use disorders in the Emergency Department (ED). Using Grounded Theory, I have worked with Dr. Linda Isbell and PhD Student Nathan Huff to analyze patients’ positive experiences, negative experiences, and recommendations for improved care at the provider, treatment, and system levels. Our findings will help inform research, practice, and policies to improve care and outcomes for vulnerable patient populations in the ED.
Julian Esmer
Though I had found it difficult to single out a particular moment, my favorite memories from UMass have to be the ones I’ve made within the Filipino Student Association (FSA); as the president of a newer cultural RSO on campus, it was imperative to me that this community exist to help facilitate a space for cultural awareness. Through FSA, I found not only my closest friends, but also a deeper understanding and appreciation for finding the little nooks and crannies on campus that can help make such a large crowd feel just a little bit smaller and less intimidating. I would like to think that my fellow PBS seniors, too, found their space within UMass to find this sense of home and belonging. Outside of FSA, I am also an undergraduate research assistant in the Learning Lab studying developmental psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer McDermott. Within this lab space, I have since further cultivated my love for psychology and research. Additionally, Dr. McDermott helped me pursue and secure a post-baccalaureate position in Boston, MA where I will be a clinical fellow at the McLean-Franciscan Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program beginning this summer!
My honors thesis project is “Exploring the Correlation Between Family Caregiver Burnout and Predispositions for Depression and Anxiety Related Disorders in Young Adults.” I hope to draw statistically significant findings within the broader scope of caregiver mental health; I am using standardized measures such as the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) to assess for relevant psychopathologies among individuals who have provided care for family member(s) with disabilities and chronic illnesses. This project would not be possible without my incredible faculty sponsor Dr. Ashley Woodman and her thesis seminar!
Colby Myers
One of my favorite memories from UMass was being a part of UMass Emergency Medical Servies (UMEMS) where I was the Executive Director for one year and Director of Finance for another year. This agency has given me so much, from best friends to great experiences, to professional development and my time at UMass would most definitely not have been complete without it! Thank you to Dominic Singh our staff advisor and all my friends in UMEMS for making this such a great experience!
My honors thesis project, “The Effects of Parental Substance Misuse on Pediatric Psychopathology, Mental Health, and Developmental Outcomes”, surveyed mental health clinicians in multiple settings to investigate trends, common themes, and impacts of parental substance misuse and addiction on children’s mental health across the lifespan. I want to thank my Faculty Sponsor, Dr. Amanda Hamel, and my secondary sponsor, Dr. Elizabeth Evans. They were both amazing advisors, and the project would not have been possible without them and the guidance they provided on the project.
Pallavi Karra
I have had many favorite experiences at UMass both inside and outside of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. I have had the opportunity to work in a lab, be a teaching assistant, and much more!
I have been a member of the Learning Lab with Dr. Jennifer McDermott for 2 years and it was an amazing experience. I worked on many projects where I recruited participants, conducted study visits, and worked on data collection. I learned so much from being in this lab not only about how to conduct research, but also how to prepare for after college. Dr. McDermott is a really supportive advisor who taught me all I know about research. She helped me a lot with my Graduate School applications, and I am forever grateful that I was a part of her lab.
One of my favorite experiences outside of the Psychology Department is being a part of the UMass Symphony Band for the past 4 years. I have played trumpet for many years and being a part of Symphony Band was a highlight of my college experience. I was able to be a part of a group of people who enjoyed performing and took music seriously. I learned so much from being in this group and met some great people. I have performed in over 15 concerts so far with the Symphony Band and every time I am on the stage I feel so much joy!
Aisling Finnegan
Outside of my education and research, the most fulfilling aspect of my college experience has been starting a band with 4 close friends. My band, Stock Goblin, has been playing shows in the area for over two years now. We released our first EP, "Trinkets", on Spotify this past March, and we intend to keep writing and performing after graduation. From local venues (such as The Drake) to locations outside of Amherst (such as The Middle East Club in Cambridge), we perform the songs we've written together as well as all our favorite covers. I play keyboard for half of our songs, and electric bass for the other half! I am so thankful to UMass for allowing me to meet such wonderful friends.
I have been assisting with neuroscience research at UMass for over two years and I conducted my own study this semester. As a musician, I am interested in how music influences learning, so I designed an experiment combining statistical learning with musical stimuli. This experiment compares how ordered associations and sonic associations interact and influence motor task performance. I am grateful to have worked alongside the graduate students in the RDCL lab, especially Tejas Savalia, who has helped so much with this research. I would also like to shout out my PIs, Andrew Cohen and Jeffrey Starns, and recommend RDCL to any undergraduates to join!
Anna Peet
Favorite Memory: Meeting my lifelong best friend in the bathroom my first day on campus. She got me into research and our talks about what we’ve learned in psychology are the highlights of my academic career.
My Research Project: Examining the relationship between role overload and depressive symptoms in working class mothers and whether this relationship is moderated by paid maternity leave. If you told me a year ago that I would be doing a senior project I would be in denial. I got to this point because of the amazing graduate students, Ciara Ventor and Diego Barcala-Delgado, in my lab who have inspired me and empowered me over my senior year. I would also like to thank Maureen Perry-Jenkins for giving me the opportunity to grow in her lab. I am eternally grateful to them.
Lydia Harrison
My favorite memory of UMass would probably be just meeting all my friends and getting to spend the past 4 years with them!
Under the mentorship of my advisor Maureen Perry-Jenkins, my research focuses on understanding Perinatal PTSD (PPTSD) as well as the risk factors and moderators that can affect people with this condition. More specifically, the potential for a supportive healthcare staff to help at-risk mothers. Perinatal PTSD (PPTSD) is a disorder that affects approximately 9% of the U.S. population and an additional 18% of mothers could be at risk for developing it. PPTSD has been defined as the development of PTSD in the context of childbirth causing a traumatic association with the event.
Researchers have found that childhood sexual abuse (CSA) was shown to be a prevalent risk factor. My research aims to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (i.e., childhood sexual abuse) and risk for developing perinatal PTSD in a sample of low-income, expectant parents. Furthermore, I am interested in examining whether there are certain protective factors (e.g., having a supportive medical staff) that may serve to moderate this relationship and reduce the negative impact of these adverse childhood experiences on PPTSD symptoms.
With my project, I hope to highlight the importance of understanding how early adverse experiences can predict later perinatal experiences. This research could be used to improve at-risk-mothers' experiences, and better detect PPTSD to improve health outcomes on both an individual and familial level.
Rhea Mukherjee
My favorite experience at UMass has been meeting and advising so many amazing undergraduate students in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences through the different departmental positions I’ve held, whether that be being a Peer Advisor and helping them select their courses, answering their questions for upcoming exams during Teaching Assistant office hours or being part of research panels where I can talk about my responsibilities as a Research Assistant!
Undergraduates at UMass are filled with curiosity, and their enthusiasm to learn and their appreciation for the support provided consistently reinforce my passion for mentoring. Combining both research and teaching roles at UMass has been immensely rewarding for me. These experiences have not only enriched my understanding of psychology but have also enabled me to make meaningful contributions to the academic community. Through these roles, I've cultivated valuable skills and forged lasting relationships that have profoundly influenced my academic journey.
Leslie Hernandez
I have tons of favorite memories at UMass. Most recently, I loved the experience of watching the solar eclipse with everyone on the Metawampe lawn. I have also loved working at Disability Services since Fall 2021. I’ve met great people there and it’s been an honor helping accommodate students on campus. Another favorite memory of mine was attending my first research conference (SRA) with my lab, the FAM lab, in Chicago, Illinois. My poster was centered around examining the longitudinal association between discrimination and depression in middle and high school students. Shoutout to Dr. Evelyn Mercado for being an amazing mentor and advisor! She is an inspiration to me and has helped me so much throughout my years on campus. My undergraduate experience would not have been the same without the amazing humans I’ve met in the psychology department at UMass. Thank you so much!
