From East to West Coast

My journey in academia has led me to various parts of the country; from my hometown in the midwest, to the deep south, and now to the desert.

In my second round of applying for Clinical Psychology PhD programs, I have been offered and accepted admittance to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)! I am extremely excited to officially begin my journey in becoming a Clinical Psychologist.

UNLV's program will involve coursework, internal and external practicums, and independent and group research under my supervisor. These five years will most certainly be difficult, in regards to juggling the various tasks and responsibilities. However, I am very much looking forward to conducting meaningful research, which was one of my biggest draws to this specific program. My graduate assistantship will focus on conducting interviews and assessments in first-episode psychosis and first-episode bipolar disorder clinics. Working with these populations will strengthen my clinical skills and provide deeper meaning to the research I will be conducting.

Prior to making this major life decision, I decided to fly to Vegas for the weekend to tour the department and meet my future mentor and lab mates in person. Seeing the lab space and in-house clinic peaked my excitement for the work I will complete there. One of the graduate students was kind enough to take me to the Valley of Fire State Park! While it was quite different than Georgia's lush greenery, I found such beauty in the red rock.

In my month left in GA, I'm planning for my big move out to NV. Figuring out housing, class registration, and what this new chapter of my life has been a process of itself. Overall, I am looking forward to everything Vegas will bring my way.

Once a Dawgs fan, always a Dawgs fan. I'm just happy to keep wearing Georgia red.