Undergraduate Studies ePortfolio

Sarah SmithBachelors in Psychology

2011

Personal Statement

  People have always fascinated me and I am drawn to listening and learning about their experiences. My unlimited curiosity about people and how and why they do the things they do, continues to motivate my passion for psychology and my desire to help others. My education and career choices are also motivated by my family. They have supported everything I am and do. They love me no matter what and that inspires me to make something of myself and help people in the same way. I am determined to use the strength, resiliency, and unconditional love that I have gained from my family to make a better life for myself. My friends and family have always said that my calm, open, and easy-going demeanor makes them feel comfortable and like they can talk to me about anything. That is an important part of not only who I am, but another reason why I chose a path that would lead me to helping people setting. As a student of psychology, I can build on and use my natural interpersonal abilities to reach out and make a difference in someone’s life.

My work as an inpatient psychiatric aid for the mental health clinic in my community has given me invaluable experience and inspiration. I want to continue working with the mentally ill people in my community because it is challenging, fascinating, and rewarding. Getting my Bachelors in psychology at Argosy University, Seattle is an important stepping stone to my education and career goals. I am going to use it to gain more experience working with the mentally ill population in my community. I plan on continuing my education and building my career by earning a Masters degree in clinical psychology. I also hope to earn my PhD in clinical psychology. My experience in the undergraduate program has enriched my knowledge of the field I hope to use what I have learned to help me reach my goals in life.

 

 

 

Resume

Experience:On-call psychiatric aid for Kitsap Mental Health Services adult inpatient unitMay 2007-Present Kitsap Mental Health Services, Bremerton, WA

• Provided basic care and services for involuntary and voluntary clients admitted to the 24-hour adult inpatient psychiatric unit.

Program Specialist 1 for Child Development and Family Center Aug. 2006- May 2007 Olympic College, Bremerton, WA

•  On-call substitute for the lead staff and student employees of CDFC Toddler and Preschool/ school age child room.

Student Employee for the Child Development and Family CenterSept. 04- Sept. 06 Olympic College, Bremerton, WA

• I worked as a part time student employee in the toddler room for the CDFC while I attended school full time. I assisted the lead staff in supervising the children, planning activities and play, and keeping them safe, happy, and entertained.

Education:South Kitsap High School, Port Orchard, WA Olympic College, Bremerton, WA Argosy

University, Seattle, WA Sept. 2000-June 2003 Sept. 2003-Aug.2006 Sept. 2007-present

High school diploma Associates in Arts and Science Undergraduate

degree GPA 3.5 Psychology major Bachelors in

psychology GPA 3.49

Reflection

My academic experience at Argosy University, Seattle has been challenging and enriching. The undergraduate program has given me significant exposure to the many aspects of psychology and the many careers that this field of study can provide. I believe that this program has prepared me well for further education in psychology and given me the foundations that I will need to succeed as a graduate student.

Most of the classes that I took were fascinating and seemed to cover more applicable information then any other college classes I have taken in the past. I always learned a lot of new information about, not only the subjects that were being taught, but also about myself and my abilities as a student of psychology. I am grateful to the program’s professors for providing me with an environment that caters to students who are hands on and learn through exploration and discussion. I believe that I was properly exposed to areas that involved critical thinking, research, written and verbal communication skills, ethics and diversity, the foundations of psychology and its applications, and interpersonal skills. I think that the integration of all of these areas of learning will be an important skill to have in graduate school, my career, and in life.

Critical Thinking

I have included 7 assignments and a student assessment of learning rubric in the box.net program on my Linked in profile. I believe that these assignments show the significant exposure that Argosy provided me in critical thinking, research, communication skills, ethics and diversity, knowledge of psychology, knowledge of applied psychology, and interpersonal effectiveness.

My Future in Learning

I believe that studying and having a career in the field of psychology will provide me with a lifetime of learning. Psychology is a field that is constantly changing and growing. I will need to persistently seek out new knowledge and continuously gain more skills if I want to be a successful therapist. There are always new ideas, philosophies, discoveries, and research going on in psychology that will be important for me to keep up with. As long as I am in this field I will be a lifetime learner. Since I plan on getting a Masters degree in clinical psychology and eventually a doctorate in the same field, I will be involved in education for many years to come.

Working with and helping people will always provide me with new learning experiences. People’s stories fascinate me and I envision myself as always wanting to know more about why and how people do the things that they do. I see myself seeking out the best ways that I can use my knowledge and skills to help myself and others live better for the rest of my life.

Contact Me

Thank you for viewing my ePortfolio.

For further information, please contact me at the e-mail address

below. sarahsmith2030@yahoo.com