Student Ambassador: Haley Lynch

Hello!

My name is Haley Lynch and I am from Long Beach, New York. I attended SUNY Albany for my undergraduate degree and graduated with a double major in biology and honors psychology and a neuroscience minor. I worked as a research assistant in a social cognition lab where I completed my honors thesis on imagination and social affiliation. Having graduated during the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to take some time off from school and pursue my biology degree to assist with the pandemic efforts. I worked at a clinical diagnostics lab on Long Island for two years assisting with the laboratory testing for Covid-19. Although I enjoyed my work at the lab, I knew it would be temporary as I found myself preferring the interactions I had with my coworkers where we would process, and problem solve the events around us over the isolated lab work. I wanted to pursue a degree that intersected my interest in healthcare but allowed me to be more hands on with patients and human oriented. As the pandemic began to wind down and the need for PCR testing subsided, I decided it was time to return to school and apply to graduate programs.

I was drawn to William James College (WJC) because of their emphasis on experiential education. Having worked for two years after graduation, I understood the importance of working in the field to consolidate what I was learning from my classes. Since I had no client facing experience, I appreciated how their program would allow me to begin working with clients in my first year. After attending my interview day, I was so impressed with how welcoming and warm the faculty were and the environment they created for such a stressful day.

Currently, I am a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology PsyD program at WJC. I am also a member of the Sports Psychology Club on campus and work for the office of Program Development, Monitoring, and Evaluation (PDM&E) as the student coordinator, assisting with research projects that are affiliated with WJC’s community programs. Working in the PDM&E office has allowed me to experientially learn about program evaluation research through data collection and entry and assist with writing annual reports for grants and conference presentations. Although I do not have a concentration, I am hoping to specialize in treatment for Anxiety and OCD in transition aged youth.

My advice to new students, especially for those coming from out of state, is don’t be afraid to lean into this new experience, talk to your classmates, and make sure to set aside time for yourself! Graduate school is demanding and challenging, and in a brand-new city it can feel overwhelming. This is a new experience for everyone and we’re all in it together. The faculty and community at WJC are all so supportive and knowledgeable, do not be afraid to ask for help both academically and for suggestions about things to do and explore around Boston. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out via email. You got this!