How/why did you chose Psychology as a major?

  Largely serendipity, but I was attracted to research.  The Psychology building was under construction as I graduated and facilities were somewhat limited.

 Outside the classroom, what opportunities/experiences were most beneficial?

I had a weekly internship in speech therapy a the VA in Danville sponsored by Naomi Hunter.

Did you believe that you 'had to' obtain more schooling after your bachelor's degree?

 Yes.

In retrospect, what would you have done differently as an undergraduate?

 Focused.

 After graduating:

 I became a social worker (Model Cities program) which was the closest application of my degree within my circumstances/location obtainable at the time. I obtained a Masters in counseling psych and did an internship in the Med/Surg unit of the VA in DC.  I was drawn to testing.

Subsequently, I have spent in a full time working career spanning over 36 years in consulting, sales and now marketing.  Leveraging my experience in the public sector, I transitioned into technology and grew with the development of the importance of software.

Describe how you use your psychology skills every day.

 Understanding human behavior is KEY to success in every aspect of business.  For example - where better would you obtain education and training to succeed in consulting and sales?  The domain is always learned based on the position and role within an organization, but the skill to understand and listen to people is the purview of human psychology.

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Share Your Story | Psychology | University of Illinois

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