Grad School Orientation

WELCOME TO ROOSEVELT!!!! 

Roosevelt scheduled 2 orientations. One for the Chicago campus, Tuesday, Aug 23 and Schaumburg Campus, Thursday, Aug 25. The eager student that I am, I chose to go to both!

So first the Tuesday orientation experience. To start off it was very unorganized. I'm not sure if stuff was purposely done at the last minute or what, but it was definitely very unorganized! I walked in and signed in and what do you know. They didn't even put my program on the list of breakout sessions! What??? So I had to take it upon my self and find out what the situation was. Well, of course a fault of their own, they made us a session. Which was good because 10 or so other students showed up for the I/O program and at least 15 clinical psych students, with no where to go!

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF! 

After we all got settled into our respective locations, I really enjoyed orientation. The faculty members here are super amazing! They tell us to call them by their first names not Dr. so and so but plain on Mike or Adriane or Jackie. Their reasoning is, is that this is an apprenticeship, sure your taking classes but really most of the stuff we will learn and do is through each other and the experiences we take on. They also say that besides we are just like them only they are older so they know only a bit more that comes with age. So none of that fancy smancy stuff here. Thats not even the beginning!!!

So, they are just really laid back professors who clearly have our best interest at heart. Though this is a M.A. program they all suggest and promote research! Which of course is a plus for me, because I don't mind research at all. Also, unlike other graduate schools, we are allowed to research what we want with who we want, we can share each others ideas, we can share faculty mentors, we can switch faculty mentors, they honestly just want us to get the most out of everything. This even includes the requirements for the Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA).

Ok so on to that exciting news, Mike the head of the program announced that they had made all their final selections for GRA's the night before and things would be finalized tonight. Now, the GRA is a very competitive position to have. You have to had at least a 3.5 and demonstrated interest in research. I have done a significant amount of research so I figured I'd give it a shot when I applied. Well up until that night, I hadn't heard anything so I assumed I wasn't selected. I mean there are only a few positions open each year so I wasn't surprised.

EVEN MORE EXCITING STUFF!! 

Well what do you know, the day of the Schaumburg orientation, I got a phone call from Adrian while in line to get my CTA bus/rail pass. First, it was a Georgia number so I was a little confused when I answered. Glad I did though, he informed me that he selected me for the GRA but because he wasn't at the last meeting, no one got a chance to call and let me know. He said it is only  a part time position, but If I am interested, he'd love to have me. I was THRILLED dang near jumping for joy in line. I could barely keep still. I've been wanting to work with Adrian since my Junior year and I met some of his Auburn students at a SIOP conference.

So, I went to the orientation, spoke to Adrian a bit and I think we decided on letting me do my thesis instead of work on his projects! Which is huge, considering the GRA scholarship normally requires you to work on faculty work with them since they are paying you. But to work on my thesis instead is amazing!!! I will sit down with him this Tuesday to discuss this news and flush out all the details!!! I am super excited though!!!

To celebrate, my parentals and I went out to Joe's Crab Shack! My favorite seafood restaurant of course! I had a blast that night. I am so ready to start school!!! Look a there, I'm already thinking in Green like a LAKER!!! I love my program and so happy I chose to go here!! Whooo hoooo!!!!

Ok, enough excitement for one day. Much more to come
Charnetta