窪做惇蹋厙 is advancing its vision for the future of higher education through the launch of the 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative. This comprehensive four-year educational model intentionally connects academic learning, personal growth, career preparation, and community engagement. It represents the next evolution of the College���s transformative educational experience and its commitment to preparing graduates who are equipped to lead meaningful lives and strengthen their communities. The initiative is supported by a $150,000 implementation grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE).

The 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative is a cornerstone of the evolving 窪做惇蹋厙 Education Model. This model integrates academic excellence, experiential learning, leadership development, and purposeful reflection into a cohesive undergraduate experience. The initiative intentionally weaves career readiness, civic engagement, and personal development throughout every student���s educational journey.

���The future of higher education must be about more than earning a degree. It must prepare students to live lives of purpose, leadership, and impact,��� said Dr. Tracy Espy, president of 窪做惇蹋厙.

���The 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative reflects our belief that every student deserves an educational experience that helps them discover their strengths, connect those strengths to meaningful work, and understand how they can contribute to something larger than themselves. Through this initiative, we are investing not only in our students��� futures, but in the future of the communities and employers they will serve.���

Guided by the theme ���From Discovery, Through Discernment, to Degree,��� the 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative creates intentional opportunities for students. It allows them to explore their interests, identify their strengths, reflect on their values, and connect their academic experiences with meaningful careers, engaged citizenship, and lifelong purpose.

Structured Pathway, Personalized Education, Support for Diverse Learning Profiles

The initiative builds upon 窪做惇蹋厙���s nationally recognized strengths in personalized education and its commitment to supporting students with diverse learning profiles, including neurodivergent learners. It ensures that every student has a structured pathway to understand who they are, what they value, and how they can make meaningful contributions to their professions and communities.

The initiative also reinforces the 窪做惇蹋厙 Ability Model, the distinctive framework for developing the transferable abilities employers and communities value most. Through community-engaged learning and experiential education, students strengthen essential abilities such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, adaptability, reflection, and ethical decision-making. These skills prepare graduates not simply for employment, but for lives of continuous learning and meaningful contribution.

Over the next four years, the 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative will introduce:

• Structured Transition Experience Programs (STEPS) to support students during key milestones, including the transition into college, sophomore year, transfer student integration, and alumni engagement;
• Bridge Micro-Grants that empower faculty, staff, and students to design innovative community-engaged learning experiences;
• Professional development opportunities that help faculty, staff, and community partners integrate vocational reflection, experiential learning, and civic engagement throughout the curriculum; and
• Expanded partnerships with nonprofit organizations, businesses, healthcare providers, schools, and civic leaders throughout Southeastern Connecticut.

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Partnerships Address Community Challenges, Workforce Needs

As the initiative grows, students will collaborate with regional partners to address authentic community challenges while applying classroom learning in meaningful settings. These reciprocal partnerships will strengthen the workforce pipeline, support regional economic vitality, and prepare graduates with the practical experience, professional competencies, and sense of purpose that today���s employers increasingly seek.

The 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative also advances 窪做惇蹋厙���s broader commitment to strengthening the workforce and civic life of Southeastern Connecticut. By expanding partnerships with employers, nonprofit organizations, schools, and community leaders, the College continues to build educational pathways that respond to regional needs while preparing graduates who are adaptable, engaged, and ready to lead in an increasingly complex world.

As colleges across the nation reconsider how higher education prepares students for success, 窪做惇蹋厙 is demonstrating how personalized learning, purposeful reflection, experiential education, and workforce readiness can be intentionally integrated into a single educational journey.

The 窪做惇蹋厙 Bridge Initiative represents another significant milestone in the College���s continuing transformation. It reflects 窪做惇蹋厙���s enduring commitment to empowering students, strengthening communities, and redefining what it means to prepare graduates for lives of achievement, service, and leadership.

Planning and pilot activities will begin during the 2026���2027 academic year, followed by expanded opportunities for students, faculty, alumni, employers, and community partners.

When asked to sum up 窪做惇蹋厙 in three words, nursing student Gabriela Aquino ���26 said this: ���A hidden gem.���

Growing up in New London and passing by the college ���millions of times,��� she said it never occurred to her that one day she would attend 窪做惇蹋厙.

Today, the busy working mother of three young children is a proud 窪做惇蹋厙 graduate with an associate degree in early childhood education and continuing toward her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

���I finally found a place where I can be myself and reach accomplishments that I put off for so long because I didn���t believe in myself,��� she said.

Finding the Right Fit

With long-held dreams of working in healthcare, like much of her family does, Gabriela first pursued nursing classes at another institution, with many starts and stops. She said her experience fell short in getting the support she needed to succeed, so she decided to switch career paths and pursue a job in education.

After securing a position as a substitute teacher at The Friendship School, a pre-K/K school, Gabriela connected there with ���many wonderful long-standing teachers��� who were 窪做惇蹋厙 alumni. Wanting to earn a bachelor���s degree, she enrolled in 窪做惇蹋厙���s early childhood education program.

Midway through her ECE studies, 窪做惇蹋厙 introduced its first-ever nursing program.

���It honestly felt like my original dream was knocking on my door. I couldn���t help but take it as a sign,��� she said.

Gabriela worked with her academic advisor to set her dream in motion.

���I was so nervous to take my nursing pre-requisites, given the difficulty I had泭in the past. So, I geared up, packed in the classes to泭meet the requirements for泭an泭associate泭degree泭in泭early childhood education, plus泭the泭nursing pre-requisites to transition into the nursing program and did it! It was a tough year, but I aced泭all泭my classes!���

���Succeeding in that way helped build my confidence as a returning adult learner, and I was excited that my dream was coming true.���

泭Supportive Community

Gabriela credits 窪做惇蹋厙���s faculty and staff with creating a supportive community where ���everyone is so invested in the students.���

���As a working mom, I have had times when my children come with me to class because of schedules. It���s been interesting and amazing that the professors have been open to that. Or if my kids are sick, I have been able to take a day to care for them. The faculty are very mindful of the workloads, especially for commuters and students who have other responsibilities outside of school.���

In the beginning, Gabriela felt the challenge of ���imposter syndrome,��� something she said a lot of students might face, especially moms.

���We put ourselves last and our families first. When I was thinking about returning to school, I was doubtful that I could handle a full courseload and wondered if I had to take a class at a time as I had done in the past. But 窪做惇蹋厙 helped me balance it all. I could do full-time classes and still be a good and present mom and work a job at the same time. It feels hard in a good way. My professors helped me hone my time management skills and now I���m just rocking it.���

Leading Others Toward Success

Gabriela is in the first cohort of nursing students at 窪做惇蹋厙 and has taken the program by the reins. As president of the Student Nurses Association, she has many ideas for the group including peer mentorship, professional networking, and community engagement.

���Most important,��� she said, ���is student success. My goal is to be the best resource, cheerleader, advocate, and source of support for my fellow nursing students. I want to make sure each one feels seen, encouraged, and empowered to reach their full potential as a student.���

She tutors other students, helps run the nursing simulation lab, and started a podcast with Radio 窪做惇蹋厙. ���Scrubs & Side Effects��� will explore topics in healthcare and the positive and challenging ���side effects��� of nursing school.

Looking to her future, she hopes to work as a labor and delivery nurse or in a hospital intensive care or critical care unit. She also aspires beyond patient care.

���I have realized that after my BSN, I could pursue a degree to become a clinical instructor or nursing educator, which would be the best of both worlds. It would be neat to come back and teach at 窪做惇蹋厙.���

Community Connections

Gabriela currently works part-time, registering incoming patients at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, one of 13 clinical sites for the 窪做惇蹋厙 Nursing Program.

���Many of my coworkers know I am in the nursing program and are rooting for me. I���m excited to work in a clinical there, wearing my 窪做惇蹋厙 scrubs on the floor and repping our colors.���

She stresses that 窪做惇蹋厙 offers a learning environment where people can ���obtain their stored-away dreams��� and notes that the college offers a full slate of undergraduate and graduate programs to fulfill the workforce needs of her community.

���In this hidden gem, I���ve found a community, a school setting, that is helpful and supportive of me. I might have taken a long route to get where I needed to be, but I am fully confident, I am ready, and I am thankful that I found this place that allows me to be my full, authentic self.���

1. Must be a matriculated student.
2. Part-time students are eligible for commendable scholar status for every 12 calculable credits completed.
3. Must have a grade point average between 3.0 and 3.49 for the given semester (Commendable Scholar) or 3.50 and 4.00 for the given semester (Dean���s List).
4. May not have any Incomplete, Satisfactory (S), Unsatisfactory (U), Withdrawal or Failing grades for the given semester.

Dean’s List

Commendable Scholars List泭

Jaileen Barber ���26 landed in the right spot when she transferred as a sophomore to 窪做惇蹋厙 from a large university.

���I went to a huge school, and it affected my academics and my social life. My classes were so large that no one noticed if I skipped, and I didn���t like campus living so I came home every weekend,��� she said.

���I live locally and wanted to commute. I also needed smaller classes. The size of 窪做惇蹋厙 and the distance to my house were so appealing. It was the only school where I applied to transfer,��� she said.

On the 窪做惇蹋厙 campus Jaileen found her passion, challenge, and opportunity. (She also earned the highest GPA of her graduating class, making her valedictorian of the Class of 2026.)

���I transferred to 窪做惇蹋厙 as a psychology major with a minor in criminal justice. By the end of my sophomore year, I finished the required courses for my minor and was upset about it. The criminal justice classes piqued my interest. After meeting with my advisor about flip-flopping my major and minor, I chose to make the shift. My criminal justice professors jokingly said they moved me to the dark side, but they saw something in me that made me a strong student in the major.���

Classwork Leads to Honors Program

Criminal justice professor Dr. Tim Daty also recognized her writing ability and recommended her for the 窪做惇蹋厙 Honors Program.

The honors program prepares students for graduate school and beyond. It provides them with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to research and write an honors thesis and ultimately defend it in their senior year.

���I needed an extra challenge,��� she said. ���I wanted to keep my brain constantly moving. The honors program helped push me to do more, which was needed. I can be a procrastinator and sometimes don���t have much faith in myself.���

The inspiration for Jaileen���s thesis, ���Politics and Policy Implementation of Firearms on Firearm Suicide,��� came from her off-campus workplace.

���I work as an administrative assistant at Brian���s Healing Hearts, a nonprofit that provides grief support to people who have lost loved ones and focuses on mental health and suicide awareness. The foundation was created in honor of the founders��� 19-year-old son, who they lost to suicide. I find myself doing research on suicide daily. It���s a key interest of mine to further develop knowledge on it.���

Jaileen had already written research papers on suicide in males, who dominate the statistic. For her thesis, she decided to dive deeper into firearm usage, the most lethal means and the main method utilized by men.

She said the honors program also gave her a chance to research something tied to a potential career.

Training for the Future

���In the fall I start a Master of Social Work program. I have always wanted to work with adolescent males and researching my thesis topic gave some insight that I might not have had at this point.���

Her internship at Waterford Juvenile Probation through the State of CT Judicial Experiential Learning program also provided Jaileen with an opportunity to imagine her future. She completed the internship in her final semester and credits Paul Dunn, 窪做惇蹋厙���s Integrative Career Development coordinator, with helping her get her foot in the door by reaching out to his contacts in the program.

���Before working with juvenile probation, I had never considered a career in it. But I was impressed that it takes a therapeutic approach to working with youth. I enjoy the therapy realm and aspire to make it my life���s work. My internship shifted my mindset on what I want to do.���

Jaileen appreciated the work environment at juvenile probation.

���I genuinely felt like a peer when I walked in, not just an intern. The level of trust that was placed in me gave me so much confidence. Something new was always thrown at me when I stepped in the door.���

Her daily internship tasks varied; Fridays were a typical court day, and other days were spent doing things such as school visits and intakes. She saw parallels to cases she studied in a juvenile delinquency course and expanded her understanding as the concepts came to life.

���In person, the stories made sense. I saw kids��� everyday lives and learned what worked best for each situation. There was a lot of thinking and revision, constant movement, and a lot of case notes and reports.���

Her biggest challenge was learning the acronyms that were heavily incorporated into notes and reports.

���There were so many to learn that it was hard to keep up. Luckily, cheat sheets were posted in every office, so I could figure things out!���

Shifting Mindset, Opening Doors

Reflecting on new career possibilities, Jaileen said, ���窪做惇蹋厙 offered me the freedom to explore interests I never thought about for my future. I always assumed that if I���m going for my MSW, the only right answer was to major in psychology. Switching my major allowed me to explore an internship I had no idea would interest me as a career. Interning with juvenile probation opened my eyes to different paths that fit what I want to do. Meeting professors with real-world experience shifted my mindset and opened many more doors. Their positive mentorship and constant reassurance encouraged me to show off my academic potential and gave me the strength I needed to continue to push myself forward.���

Support 窪做惇蹋厙 students by watching New London���s premier fireworks display���the Mashantucket Pequot Fireworks Extravaganza��� from a private viewing area on 窪做惇蹋厙 Beach. The 3rd Annual Seafood, Sparks & Scholarships takes place on Saturday, July 11.

The deadline to purchase tickets is July 8 (extended from July 1). For more information and to register, go here:

The event takes place from 6���9 p.m. and features a memorable evening outdoors���lawn games and cocktails, a delicious multi-course seafood dinner and dessert, and fireworks over the Thames River (beginning at 9:15 p.m.).

A portion of the proceeds from Seafood, Sparks & Scholarships will benefit the North Star Scholarship Fund. During the evening, guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a Crab Raise and make an additional contribution to scholarships, helping provide access, opportunity, and support for 窪做惇蹋厙 students.

Last year���s event sold out, so buy tickets now!

President Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D., conferred degrees to 101 窪做惇蹋厙 graduates on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in a ceremony celebrating achievement and community.

Richard ���Rich��� Lisitano, keynote speaker for 窪做惇蹋厙���s 82nd Commencement Exercises, told the Class of the 2026 that what comes next in their lives is not a straight line.

���You���ve been told to go out and build your career. That���s good advice, but it���s incomplete. Careers aren���t built in straight lines. They���re shaped over time, sometimes moving forward, sometimes pausing, and sometimes taking a step back so you can move in a better direction.���

The soon-to-be-retired president of L+M Healthcare and executive vice president of Yale New Haven Health shared about his own professional journey, starting as a pharmacist and eventually leading hospitals.

���There were moments when I had to reassess, moments where the path wasn���t clear, and moments where what looked like a step back turned out to be the step that made everything possible.���

He urged the graduates to be open to change, willing to grow, and determined to keep moving forward. He also shared life lessons learned as a leader.

���You don���t have to manage people to be a leader,��� he said. ���Leadership starts with how you treat your classmates, coworkers, supervisors, and customers. It shows up when you listen, when you keep your commitments, and when you step up instead of stepping back.���

He also reminded the graduates that that their reputation is one of their most valuable assets, confidence doesn���t mean having all the answers, and feedback is not a criticism an impetus for growth.

Student Speaker

Student speaker Caleb Cobb ���26, who graduated with a bachelor���s degree in criminal justice, said that he found his purpose at 窪做惇蹋厙 when he began to step outside of his comfort zone.

���When I first arrived at 窪做惇蹋厙 as a transfer student,��� he said, ���I thought of myself as a basketball player, who was interested in criminal justice. I really did not have an idea of what I wanted to do after college.���

After getting involved in student life outside of athletics���including working with first-year students, campus facilities, and an internship with the Waterford Police Department���he said he transformed. He acknowledged that his calm demeanor sometimes hid all that he was juggling.

���And standing here today, I can honestly say that perseverance, faith, and community carried me through,��� he said.

���窪做惇蹋厙 is not the kind of place where students get lost in the crowd. It is the kind of place where professors learn your name, where people genuinely want to see you succeed, and where someone always seems willing to help you when things are overwhelming.���

Alumni Charge

Alumna Mary Volpe ���19 welcomed the class to the ranks of 窪做惇蹋厙 alumni.

“This isn���t the end of your 窪做惇蹋厙 journey,��� she said. ���Think of today as your launchpad, with a built-in support system ready to offer guidance, inspiration, and maybe even a few recommendations along the way.���

She reminded graduates that 窪做惇蹋厙 is not just about the beautiful campus.

���It is about the people���the late-night study sessions, the laughter in the dining hall, the encouragement from faculty and friends. The spirit of community is what defines us, and it doesn���t disappear after graduation��死痚絞玻玵�, and the greater New London community, will always be part of your story.���

Awards for Academic Achievement

Jaileen Barber ���26, who earned a bachelor���s degree in criminal justice, was named valedictorian with the highest GPA.

Olivia DeCicco ���26 was named salutatorian with the second highest GPA. She earned her bachelor���s degree in marine and environmental science.

View the full program here.

窪做惇蹋厙���s R. Carlson Division of Business has announced a new partnership with Startups & Scholars, a Hartford-based agency providing paid, real-world consulting opportunities for students and recent graduates.

Through the agreement, Startups & Scholars will collaborate with 窪做惇蹋厙���s Mlab program and the newly launched Studio | 窪做惇蹋厙 club to connect students with part-time, paid work aligned with their academic interests and career goals.

Students will gain hands-on experience in areas such as digital marketing, professional sales, project management, automation, and operations. They work directly with startups and growing businesses that need support in executing day-to-day operations.

���This partnership brings learning to life in a meaningful and immediate way,��� said Dr. James Patsalides, chair of the R. Carlson Division of Business at 窪做惇蹋厙. ���Our students won���t just study business concepts. They���ll apply them in real-world environments, build confidence, and graduate with experience that sets them apart.���

Startups & Scholars has worked with over 40 students from more than 15 colleges and universities across the Northeast in the past six years, placing students in roles spanning sales, business development, marketing, graphic design, and accounting.

���We���ve seen firsthand how impactful these opportunities can be,��� said Mike Heiser, co-founder and CEO of Startups & Scholars. ���Startups seem to need the most help with the execution layer of running a business. This can look like sales outreach, customer support management, running marketing campaigns, etc. Where rubber hits the road, that���s where our students step in and make a real difference.���

Through the Studio | 窪做惇蹋厙 structure, students will work on individual assignments that contribute to larger client projects, collaborating with peers, client leads, and industry mentors. This team-based approach ensures accountability while providing the support necessary for growth and success.

���We want to ensure no student is left without support,��� Heiser said.

���The advantage for students is clear. They gain paid, professional experience while still in college, all within a supportive learning environment,��� added Patsalides. ���It���s a powerful combination that prepares them for the workforce from day one.���

This partnership reflects 窪做惇蹋厙���s continued commitment to experiential learning and career readiness, ensuring students graduate with both knowledge and applied skills.

(l-r) Dr. Elyse Gessler, assistant professor, business student Braiden Alaimo, Startups & Scholars co-founder and CEO Mike Heiser, and Dr. James Patsalides, chair of the R. Carlson Division of Business

窪做惇蹋厙 announces the launch of its first graduate degree program, the Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership (MSMOL). The program expands 窪做惇蹋厙���s longstanding commitment to individualized learning, student success, and career-connected education.

The MSMOL program offers a flexible, applied graduate education for recent college graduates and working professionals seeking leadership preparation in mission-driven and people-centered organizations. The program begins in January 2027.

窪做惇蹋厙���s highly relational academic model prepares students to thrive professionally and personally through individualized support, executive functioning development, and experiential learning. The launch of the MSMOL extends these strengths into graduate education, creating new pathways for advanced study and leadership development.

���The Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership represents a natural evolution of 窪做惇蹋厙���s mission,��� said Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, 窪做惇蹋厙 president. ���We are committed to expanding access for underserved learners and preparing students for meaningful participation in the workforce. This mission-aligned graduate program creates a clear pathway for current 窪做惇蹋厙 students, recent graduates, and working professionals in the region. It allows them to pursue advanced study in a flexible format that can be completed in as little as one year.���

Degree Emphasizes Human-Centered Leadership

The 30-credit graduate program prepares students for leadership roles in professional environments requiring effective organizational leadership and ethical decision-making. These include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, healthcare-adjacent organizations, public service agencies, and community-based enterprises.

In addition, 窪做惇蹋厙���s MSMOL emphasizes human-centered leadership, ethical practice, intercultural competence, organizational communication, and inclusive leadership strategies.

���The program is intentionally framed as a human-centered leadership degree,��� said Dr. Mika Nash, 窪做惇蹋厙 provost. ���Students will learn to navigate complex organizational environments while developing the communication, ethical reasoning, and leadership skills increasingly required across today���s workforce.���

The curriculum integrates leadership theory with applied professional practice. Coursework includes organizational leadership, crisis and conflict communication, global systems, and entrepreneurial innovation; in addition, organizational transformation, ethical leadership, intercultural leadership, organizational design, and operations management. The program culminates in an applied Organizational Strategy Capstone. Students design and present solutions to real organizational challenges grounded in scholarly research and professional analysis.

The program also includes an optional graduate practicum for students with fewer than three years of professional experience. The practicum provides a minimum of 400 hours of supervised applied learning in professional organizational settings aligned with students��� leadership goals.

Program Meets Growing Demand in Organizational Leadership

Delivered in a hybrid, low-residency format, the MSMOL combines asynchronous online coursework with structured synchronous seminars and periodic intensive sessions. The program offers these either on campus or through live virtual instruction. The model supports working professionals while preserving the discussion-based and relational learning environment central to 窪做惇蹋厙���s educational philosophy.

���The College carefully considered the broader economic and professional landscape of Southeastern Connecticut in designing this program,��� said Dr. James Patsalides, chair of the R. Carlson Division of Business at 窪做惇蹋厙. ���Regional employers increasingly require professionals who can lead teams, manage organizational change, address ethical and cultural challenges, and communicate effectively across diverse stakeholder groups. The MSMOL program was developed to meet this growing demand while remaining consistent with 窪做惇蹋厙���s academic strengths.���

Learning outcomes emphasize leadership competency, ethical and operational problem-solving, and analysis of contemporary social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical factors affecting organizations. In addition, students will be expected to synthesize theoretical knowledge with professional judgment and apply leadership principles in authentic organizational settings.

The MSMOL program also offers two entry points during its inaugural year in January 2027 and August 2027. Courses will be delivered in eight-week blocks, providing flexible start dates for working professionals balancing academic, personal, and career responsibilities.

Program Facts

• Degree: Master of Science in Management and Organizational Leadership (MSMOL)
• Credits Required: 30 graduate credits
• Format: Hybrid/Low-Residency
• Completion Time: One year full-time or two years part-time
• Tuition: $500 per credit
• Full-Time Annual Tuition: $15,000
• Part-Time Annual Tuition: $7,500

For more information about 窪做惇蹋厙 and the MSMOL program, visit 窪做惇蹋厙.

窪做惇蹋厙 will welcome Richard ���Rich��� Lisitano, president of L+M Healthcare and executive vice president of Yale New Haven Health, as commencement speaker for its 82nd Commencement Exercises. He will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2026 on Sat., May 16, at 10 a.m. on the 窪做惇蹋厙 Green.

Lisitano, a Connecticut native, assumed his current role in 2023 and recently announced his retirement. Prior to becoming president of L+M Healthcare, he was senior vice president of operations at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). He joined YNHH in 1986 as assistant director of pharmacy. Throughout his almost 40-year career, Lisitano has had an outstanding reputation for consistently optimizing operations, improving performance, and delivering sustainable financial results. His contributions with Yale New Haven Health include growth in departments including Genetics, Neurosciences, Oncology, and Urology. He was also the executive lead for developing, executing, and integrating an electronic medical record platform across each of the health system���s campuses. Lisitano earned a Master of Science from The Ohio State University and a bachelor���s degree in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, 窪做惇蹋厙 president, said, ���窪做惇蹋厙 is honored that Mr. Lisitano will deliver the keynote address to our graduating class. His decades of service to Yale New Haven Health, in many roles, will serve as an inspiration to our students as they think about their own journeys ahead. As we welcome Mr. Lisitano to campus, we are also grateful for our deepening partnership with L+M Healthcare, providing invaluable learning opportunities for our students in our expanding healthcare programs, including our Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN), for which L+M Hospital is a clinical site and major partner.���

���Compassion,��� ���community,��� and ���personal��� are three words senior Matthew Dougherty uses to describe 窪做惇蹋厙. He carries the same three qualities into his internship helping people in crisis.

An Honors Program student majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology, he said, ���You get a lot of compassion from the faculty and staff at 窪做惇蹋厙. It is a college that offers a lot of support. Before I began at 窪做惇蹋厙, I was in a rough place with my mental health. I didn���t think I would be able to do college. But I got the academic and emotional support that I needed to get through the first couple years. 窪做惇蹋厙 was the right choice for me.���

���Community also stands out to me when thinking about 窪做惇蹋厙. Most students know each other on the close-knit campus. And every student that I know has had a unique and personal experience. They have gotten the support they needed and found opportunities tailored just for them.���

Opportunity for real-world work

An important opportunity for Matthew is his internship as a volunteer crisis counselor with the Crisis Text Line, a remote company that is partnered with 988, the national suicide prevention hotline. People in crisis can text 988 to reach the Crisis Text Line any time of day for support.

Matthew is logging 200 hours for his internship with the organization. He can work using his laptop from anywhere, for any number of hours at a time.

���There are no set hours, so I can log in and do a few hours here and there, but I like to do the night shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. There aren���t a lot of people to help at that time, and it is usually high volume. There���s text after text. This is exactly what I want to do with my psychology studies. I want to help people in crisis and help them out of a dark moment. My internship is giving me direct experience with this, as I talk them through it and am trained to get emergency life services if they need it. It is intense stuff.���

Matthew���s required preparation for this role included 15 hours of training via a combination of psychoeducation text modules, complementary videos, and simulated conversations. He was also trained to screen for immediate safety.

���We ask a person if they have harmed themselves or thought about suicide. If the answer is yes, we flag a supervisor to watch the chat and advise on responses. I was also trained on how do develop a safety plan with people and what things to look out for, such as any kind of abuse with a vulnerable population.���

Self-care important

When applying for the position, Matthew provided his background information and hours of availability. He was also asked to share how he takes care of his mental health and any topics he would be uncomfortable dealing with.

���The work is more intense than I thought it would be. I try to get two eight-hour shifts in per week but am considering breaking it into smaller chunks.���

Matthew said once he finishes a conversation with a texter he can take as much time as he needs to do self-care. He likes to watch something, have a snack, or talk with a friend.

���Many of the texts are so intense, but some are more light-hearted. You never know what you���re going to get, just like life.���

He said he was trained to deal with callers in a specific way: acknowledge, validate, listen, and offer resources. His classes in abnormal psychology and counseling theory have helped prepare him for this real-world work.

���If a person is going through mania or psychosis or displaying symptoms of an eating disorder or are in an abusive situation, these are all things that I have learned about in class.���

Similarly, he finds his grounding in the 窪做惇蹋厙 Abilities helpful with his work���from using a data collection platform on a computer to deescalating a situation and figuring out a situation to meeting people of all backgrounds and cultures where they are.

���My skills in technology, problem solving, communication, critical thinking, and ethics have all been put to use,��� he said.

Being a ‘voice and shoulder’

Matthew said he feels most challenged the moment before he begins his shift.

���There���s uncertainty. I care deeply about the people I interact with. It���s the hardest part but the most rewarding. I want to work in the field professionally, helping people directly, and what I am learning through my internship is something that can���t be taught in a classroom. Getting to be there with people in the middle of a crisis, to be the voice and shoulder, to help them out of that, there���s nothing better than that.���

Matthew is grateful for the requirement that every student at 窪做惇蹋厙 does an internship before they graduate. He considers it another highlight of the 窪做惇蹋厙 experience.

���I wanted to go to a college that made me go out and get an internship because I can be a bit lazy and need that push. That is why 窪做惇蹋厙 was a good fit. My one-on-one interaction with my professors has helped me so much. With their help and guidance, I feel secure in my future with my sights on getting a master���s degree and beyond. I wouldn���t have gotten that at a big college.���