Student Leadership and Organizations

Emma is a fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral student at William James College. She recently trained at Tufts University Medical Center Outpatient Psychiatry service. While there, she worked on a multidisciplinary team providing individual psychotherapy and psychological/neuropsychological testing with diverse and underserved patients from across the lifespan. Emma also has prior practicum training at McLean Hospital’s Hill Center and Eliot Survivor Services. Prior to her graduate training, Emma gained experience as a resource specialist in the Acute Psychiatry Service of the ER at MGH, as well as an inpatient Mental Health Specialist and research assistant at McLean Hospital. Her research at the time focused on psychosis and genome sequencing. For her fourth-year practicum, Emma will have the opportunity to train within the Ambulatory Psychology Advanced Practicum Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her past clinical and research experiences influenced and informed her doctoral project research on childhood maltreatment as a driver of functional impairment among adult individuals with bipolar disorder. Emma has been affiliated with ACES Field Education for the past two years, acting as last year's co-lead. She is excited to take on the position of ACES LEAD and represent her peers for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Email: emma_peabody@williamjames.edu

Ann is a second year part-time student on the LGBTQIA+ track. She earned a B.S. from MSUM-Moorhead in Exercise and a M.S. from UMASS Boston in Gerontology. In addition, she received her professional certificate as an End-of-Life Doula from UVM Larner College of Medicine. Ann has been working in the health and wellness industry as a personal trainer, yoga teacher and meditation instructor for over twenty years. She is making a career shift and aspiring to be a LMHC. Her interests include the LGBTQIA+ community, the aging population and substance use disorders.

Email: ann_bruck@williamjames.edu

Tonya is a third-year student in the Leadership Psychology program. She is an award-winning international Executive Coach, Leadership Consultant, and Managing Principal of Vigere.

Tonya has almost 30 years of experience in corporate management, digital and traditional media, technology, finance, coaching, leadership development and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is committed to collaborating with others to create human-centric solutions that allow individuals and systems to be impactful, transformational leaders and organizations.

Tonya is excited to serve the on the LEAD team as a representative from the OLP program and looks forward to connecting with you!

Email: tonya_echols@williamjames.edu

Anthony Neptune is a dedicated third-year student in the BS in Psychology and Human Services program at William James College. With over a decade of heartfelt commitment to serving under-resourced children and families, Anthony's experience has shaped his passion for the field. Following his bachelor's degree, he eagerly looks forward to advancing his education with a degree in organizational psychology. As a steadfast advocate for improvement, Anthony is deeply honored to represent his peers in the student government association. He is committed to enhancing students' experiences in the bachelor's program, ensuring their voices are heard and respected. With a heart that genuinely listens and a mindset geared toward action, Anthony stands ready to make a significant impact this year.

Email: anthony_neptune@williamjames.edu 

Sarah Bennett is a third-year student of the MA/CAGS Program in School Psychology. Prior to starting at William James College, she worked as a residential counselor for transitional age youth and as a paraprofessional in a public high school. During the first two years as a practicum student, she was placed in East Bridgewater Central Elementary School and Southeastern Regional Technical High School. For the final year, She will be returning to East Bridgewater as it was such a wonderful experience. Sarah was drawn to William James College because of the hands-on opportunities to learn in the field, and the supportive community. As the School Psychology Department LEAD, she is happy to support any current or future student of William James College. Sarah is looking forward to connecting with you!

Email: sarah_bennett@williamjames.edu

Student Leaders: Shubh Agrawal and Xinru Wang
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Catherine Vuky

The mission of the ASG is to educate, advocate, promote, and cultivate learning about the Asian community. ASG aims to provide critical support, mentorship and community for its members, while holding a commitment to decreasing racial/ethnic disparities by diversifying the mental health workforce and providing support to historically marginalized and underserved groups. Our group aims to create a warm and supportive environment to connect Asian students, Asian American students and anyone interested in learning about Asian cultures at WJC. It is also an open space to share interests in working with the Asian population. In doing so, we are hopeful that the WJC community can become better allies, improve competency and compassion when working with the Asian community, and celebrate the culture through activities of cultural enrichment and intercultural dialogue.

Student Leaders: Nick Rocha, Jodyann Hanson, and Maranda Williams  

Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Susan Powell

The First-Generation College Student Group at WJC aims to provide a supportive and inclusive space for students who are the first (or among the first) in their families to attend a four-year university. This group is committed to creating a space where first gen students can connect, share challenges and successes, and support one another. We strive to foster an engaging environment where first gen students feel their unique experiences are recognized and valued. The First-Generation College Student Group also welcomes any student who is interested in being an ally and learning more about the first-generation college student experience.

Student Leaders: McEllen Lawrence and Holly Malette
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Katherine King

Our mission: to bring generations together. The members of the GVC help coordinate outreach programming with older adults in the local community. We seek to educate, learn, and create lasting connections with the individuals we meet. In the past, we have run a variety of events including panels, discussions, and social media educational seminars. We also participate in the annual greater Boston's Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Student Leaders: Tru Lotus Goetchius and Alexandra Tursi
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Matthew Carper

The mission of the Mental Health and Chronic Illness Advocacy Network is to promote a sense of community and support for any students who identify as immunocompromised, disabled, and/or struggle with chronic medical concerns. We also invite those who are interested in learning more about how to support individuals who are immunocompromised, living with a disability, and/or struggle with a chronic illness to join our meetings. Our group is meant to provide a safe space for students to come and process feelings surrounding the pandemic and navigating a world with complex medical issues. It is our hope to create a venue for discussion groups, planning of larger events for the WJC community and beyond, hosting guest speakers, and spreading awareness of diseases and disabilities of interest campus wide.

Student Leaders: Jose De Ramon
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Jenny D'Olympia

The WJC Military Community (MC) is comprised of Veterans, Military-affiliated students, non Military-affiliated students, faculty, and staff. Its mission is to provide support, information and resources to students throughout the pursuit of graduate-level academic and clinical training. A healthy Military Community is an essential component of providing peer support and cultural competency to the larger social fabric of William James College. This will be accomplished by providing education pertaining to Military/Veteran related issues to the greater WJC community, as well as community service, and advocacy. Veterans, Service Members, and Military families (specifically spouses and children, as well as extended family members) have equal emphasis within the Military Community. Additionally, support does not end with the classroom - the WJC Military Community seeks to provide support for fellow students who face the realities of service in the modern era: deployment, transition to and from Military service, and reintegration.

Student Leaders: Serena Mainiero and Angela Walukevich
Faculty/Staff Adisor(s): Dr. Katherine King

This group is for any student interested in the use of mindfulness in clinical practice or engaging in practice sessions with others in the WJC community. A member can choose to engage in either aspect of the group or both. The group provides a safe space for students to practice meditation, or, if they choose, practice leading meditation and other mindfulness practices. Beyond scheduled meditations, group meetings may include discussion groups, leading events for the WJC community and beyond, hosting outside presenters, and more, based on interests of the group.

Student Leaders: Ronit Senior and Shani Jean-Charles
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Sejal Prajapati

The Parent Student Group welcomes parents of all genders, sexual orientations, and family structures, including parents by birth, foster/adoption, stepparents, those who have lost one or more children, and those who are expecting. This group aims to create a community of students that are parents. We discuss the joys and challenges of parenting, share tips, and provide peer support.

Student Leaders: Lainie Ferguson and Graham Johnson
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Kimberly Larson

The Policy and Advocacy Student Coalition aims to establish a community platform to advance the use of evidence-based psychological knowledge in politics, policy, and legislation. A primary focus of this coalition is to educate future psychologists about the intersection of mental health and our state and national systems, including, but not limited to, education, legislation, and the criminal justice system. Additionally, the Policy and Advocacy Student Coalition promotes community discussions about the role of psychologists in influencing these systems to improve the lives of the people that we serve. The Coalition brings together students with the common goal of providing resources and knowledge to support them in advocating for issues that impact the populations we serve, as well as advancing the use of psychological knowledge in accordance with the principles of the American Psychological Association’s ethical standards.

Student Leaders: Stephanie Kowalak and Laura Kehoe
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. David Haddad

The mission of the Positive Psychology club is to introduce the student body to the science of happiness by providing the concepts, practices, and tools that contribute to a flourishing life. Each meeting will introduce students to positive psychology intervention skills. We will explore how these skills can be applied in our own life to increase overall well-being and integrated into the work we do with professional clients.

Student Leaders: Ann Bruck
Co-Student Leader: Tanjira Spaulding
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Sarah VanMattson

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WJCRainbowAlliance
Scholarships and Resources for LGBTQIA+ Students: www.publicservicedegrees.org/financial-aid/lgbtqia-students-scholarships-resources

Article on Pronoun Diversity written by Kevin Narine (he/him/his), BA, William James College, and Melina Wald, PhD (she/they), Columbia University Medical Center/Gender Identity Program.

Article on LGBTQ+ BIPOC Mental Health written by Kevin Narine (he/him/his), BA, William James College, and Matthew Eisner (he/him/his), MSEd, William James College

The Rainbow Alliance at William James College is a group of students who want to provide support for one another, engage in LGBTQIA+ advocacy/awareness, and plan events (for either purpose).

Student Leaders: Angela Walukevich, Nicole Angelakis, Jordan French, Eleanor (Ellie) Deveaux
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Katherine King

The Self-Care Group aims to provide a supportive space for students to discuss and validate the difficulties of maintaining and making time for self-care. The group will provide psychoeducation around self-care, including ethical considerations with clinical practice. The group will discuss and provide ideas for self-care activities, how to effectively build self-care into the students’ routines, and provide accountability for self-care goals

Student Leaders: Haley Barrows and Cheyenne Grice
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Modesto Hevia

Do you have an interest in Sports, Psychology, or Sports Psychology? In this student group, we hope to touch on all three areas:

• create WJC team rosters for club sports
• discuss clinical topics (i.e. performance enhancement techniques, recovering from injuries, visualization, and how to work with athletes in a clinical setting)
• review educational material on sports psychology and staying connected with the activities of the Association for Applied Sports Psychology

Student Leaders: Shani Jean-Charles, Kevin Narine, and Kelly Re
Faculty/Staff Advisor(s): Dr. Sunny Dutra

The Trauma Awareness Group (TAG) at William James College aims to raise awareness on the prevalence of trauma and provide students with education regarding trauma informed care. Many individuals experience trauma, which can be a risk factor for a variety of symptoms and diagnoses. It is imperative to be informed on trauma reactions and treatment when working in the field of psychology. Overall, TAG will explore different forms of trauma and related clinical presentations, and introduce therapeutic interventions for use when working with this population.