Hometown: Churchville, Pa.
Age: 22
Class Year: Senior
Why did you choose Millersville?
I chose Millersville because when I visited for the first time in 2009, it just seemed like the perfect fit for me- I thought the campus was absolutely beautiful. I liked the relatively small student body size, and everyone was extremely friendly and personable. Also, I knew I wanted to declare a psychology major, and Millersville’s program was one of the best.
What is your favorite thing about your time at Millersville?
The friendships I have made are easily the best things to come out of my time at Millersville. I have made quite a few friendships that I know–without a doubt–will extend far past my time at Millersville; I couldn’t imagine my life without those people!
Why did you choose your major?
I chose to major in psychology based on my experience and interest in high school. I always knew that I wanted to build a career in a human services related field, but until my later years in high school I wasn’t sure which. During my junior year, I took the AP psychology course and fell in love with the class. I instantly connected with the content and found myself wanting to study and go even further than what we did in class. My teacher definitely played a big role in my strong interest; he was extremely enthusiastic about what he taught and encouraged me to be passionate about the material as well.
Are you involved in anything on campus?
I am involved in Millersville’s chapter of Circle K, which is part of the Kiwanis International Global VolunteerOrganizaton. Circle K completes a variety of service projects every semester, including Adopt-a-Highway, making meals for shelters, and lots of others. During the 2012-2013 school year I was the acting Membership Chair. I am the secretary of Millersville’s chapter of Psi Chi, which is the international psychology honors society. I am a Millersville tutor for the psychology department, and I also played soccer for intramurals for a couple of seasons.
Do you have a favorite class that you’ve taken at Millersville?
My favorite classes at Millersville have actually been sociology classes, specifically Criminology and Sociology of Deviance, both of which were taught by Dr. Schmitt. These classes, more than any others, have taught me how to look at everything with an easily critical and open lens. The things I have learned in those classes will influence the rest of my life–I highly recommend for anyone that still has the chance to take any class taught by Dr. Schmitt!
What is your favorite thing to do on campus?
This is something super simple, but my roommates and I have formed a weekly tradition of going to Starbucks at the library together. It’s just something simple that we look forward to doing with each other after a long week of work and classes, after maybe not being able to hang out too much during the week.
Josclyn (right) andd friends celebrate Homecoming
What do you plan to do after graduation?
My plan is to work in a school setting for six months to a year as a paraeducator (a school employee who works under the supervision of teachers) for children with Autism, and attend grad school starting in fall of 2015 for School Psychology with a concentration in Autism Studies.
What will you miss most about Millersville?
I will miss being able to see my friends every day; it’s hard to imagine that once I graduate, I won’t have the opportunity or the ability to see my best friends whenever I want. During my final few months at Millersville, I am working on not taking that ability for granted.
What is something you have learned here, or some way your time at Millersville has influenced you?
This is extremely corny, but from my time at Millersville, I have learned how important it is to do things that make you happy; time in college goes by so fast and it’s silly to spend it doing things that don’t mean anything to you; if nothing else, spend time with your favorite people and work hard.
What is something you want to do before graduation?
Something I want to do before I graduate is see a show at the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster. I love going to shows, and I’ve always head amazing things about their musicals but have never gotten a chance to actually see one.
Favorite TV shows:
I have a lot of favorite TV shows, but my top two are definitely “Parks and Recreation” and “Parenthood.”
What is something someone would be surprised to know about you?
Some people are very surprised to find out that one of my favorite hobbies is keeping up with Major League Baseball and watching as many games as I can. I am especially a huge Phillies fan.
Do you have any special talents?
I don’t know about special, but the weirdest talent I possess is definitely being able to quote and do voices from various TV shows and movies on queue.
Where would you most like to travel?
Definitely Ireland. I have a strong Irish heritage, and some family that lives over there, but have not yet gotten to travel over there and visit them.