Melanie was a research assistant with the where she worked with Dr. Nicole Lytle on a project on children鈥檚 eyewitness testimony. She also worked as Dr. Laura Lakusta’s graduate assistant and lab manager.

“I think it was helpful to have completed a master’s degree before applying to a doctoral program. The MA program guided me to develop research skills and narrow my interest which I believe are instrumental in a doctoral program. Overall, I think that in my experience the program prepared me to continue my education as a doctoral student,” she said.

What are your career goals?

“My future career goals will be to work closely with community-based organizations that aid Latina immigrant women and families. I would like to become an advocate and hopefully help develop culturally relevant programs that assist immigrant women.聽Also, I聽aspire to contribute to the research field by examining perinatal mental health disparities among Latina immigrant women.

The FSHD program offers various fieldwork opportunities that extend beyond the lab. I am a part-time student, and the program has helped me to become involved in various ways. The program鈥檚 social justice emphasis is central to my interests as it has strengthened me as a scholar and advocate for Latino immigrant families.”

First-Person Account from Diana Cabezas in 2014 on the BA/MA Program in General Psychology

I started at 星空无限传媒 University in 2009, and as a freshman was unsure of what major to declare. I found myself switching constantly until my first semester as a sophomore, when I discovered an interest in psychology. I became fascinated with the courses offered and developed great relationships with the professors and students. Through the courses and relationships with faculty, I became more involved in the field. My primary goal was to obtain a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in four years. Little did I think that I would leave with a Bachelors and a Masters degree in psychology, all in only 5 years!

I applied to the Psychology Department鈥檚 BA/MA Program in General Psychology in early April of 2012. I was unsure of what to expect as a member of the BA/MA class, yet I was eager to learn. I was interested in clinical or counseling psychology, but was not sure if I wanted to commit the additional 4 plus years to a Ph.D. program- at least not just yet. I believed that the BA/MA program would allow me to acquire more skills in order to find a job close to my interest.

The program did that and much more! Not only did I graduate in May 2014 with a Masters, but I found a job as a case worker for an immigration and refugee service in a non-profit organization. There I will be working with families and children who have been separated, helping them reunite and adjust to their new situations. To say the least I am amazed and glad to work for this organization because my Master鈥檚 Thesis examined how Latino immigrants coped with and adjusted to their new homes and communities in the United States. I feel that I can definitely apply the knowledge I obtained from my research to my new job. I am looking forward to this new opportunity and I am glad I enrolled in the BA/MA program. It helped me to define and pursue my interests and to develop lasting friendships.

In high school, Jennifer Cobuzzi ’08 used to joke that she wanted to be a truck driver when she grew up — academics didn’t motivate her much back then, but she鈥檚 since turned them into her life鈥檚 work. Cobuzzi is a new lecturer in psychology at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn. She also rocketed through a PhD program at American University in Washington, D.C., specializing in Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience and completing many published works in biomedical journals. In addition, she has co-authored a paper with her mentor, 星空无限传媒 professor Debra Zellner, this past fall. They鈥檙e now working to publish another and secure grant funding to continue their work.

星空无限传媒 as a launch pad for success
When Cobuzzi was first looking at colleges, she didn鈥檛 want to go far from home. She was accepted at multiple institutions, but ultimately decided on 星空无限传媒, thanks to great reviews from friends already studying on campus. Cobuzzi excelled at 星空无限传媒. 鈥淚 felt like I belonged on that campus. It turned out to be the best place for me,鈥� she said in a phone interview.

She got involved with , and forged connections with faculty members who shared input and advice. Cobuzzi worked with Zellner to design her own research program and felt well-prepared for American’s PhD program, she said.

“The beauty of college is that you get to sample from a buffet that you didn鈥檛 even know existed,” she said. Courses outside the major were valuable too. For instance, Cobuzzi took a class on the sociology of rich and poor nations as part of general education requirements that expanded her global outlook 鈥� an awareness that boosts her effectiveness as a teacher in a multicultural and diverse university setting.

Why study psychology?
It was an A.P. psychology class and an engaging teacher in high school that first drew her to the subject. Continuing at 星空无限传媒, Cobuzzi loved the knowledge that she gained in the classroom and the personal, relatable examples that the professors shared from their own research. She developed a fascination with the brain and the field: “Psychology is like an instruction manual for humans that we never came with.”

A research and teaching focus
After 星空无限传媒, Cobuzzi pursued a dual path, as both a researcher and a teacher. A research focus alone wasn鈥檛 enough, she said, since she wants to use the knowledge gained to instruct the next generations of students. She takes a personal interest in her students, looking forward to meeting each new batch. Cobuzzi relishes an opportunity to help them fulfill and find their hopes and dreams. For example, “I likely have someone in my class that will do something amazing for humanity and society,” she said.

Paying it forward
Cobuzzi’s investment in the next generation is following in the footsteps of her mentor, Debra Zellner. She took Zellner鈥檚 undergraduate class on experimental psychology and was impressed by the experience. Cobuzzi later approached her outside of class asking, “I kind of want to do what you do. How do I do that?” Fast forward nearly a decade and Cobuzzi has charted a path similar to her mentor. The two even received doctoral degrees from the same faculty advisor at American University.

Collaborators
Zellner and Cobuzzi recently published their Food Quality and Preference. The pair conducted research in Philadelphia last year, looking at what modifications can be made to a school lunch program that can increase healthy eating, specifically vegetable consumption. Now they鈥檙e working to publish a second study with larger implications, so they鈥檙e in frequent contact with virtual “meetings” by phone, email, and even text messages, said Cobuzzi.

What began as a faculty-student relationship has grown into teamwork and research collaboration between colleagues, “all thanks to 星空无限传媒,” said Cobuzzi.

— Published April 18, 2016

*Ashley Pena is an English major at 星空无限传媒.

A special thanks to alumnus Altair Gobo and the students who served as part of the CHSS Professional Mentor Program. The photo above is from a March 2016 meeting where students got an opportunity to learn from a mentor who also studied at 星空无限传媒 University.

Gobo was born in Jersey City and grew up in Cliffside Park. Gobo didn’t start out in financial services after college. He graduated from 星空无限传媒 University with a BA in Psychology and taught high-school for six years before beginning a life-changing career in financial services. He is the author of several published articles and has been a guest on CNBC, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, FOX Business News, Bloomberg, and CNN. The PMP mentees were paired as a group with the mentor to explore career possibilities beyond a liberal arts and humanities degree.

Students included Hamna Khuld, Hope Hood, Mr. Altair Gobo, Shenille Friday, Hope Kremer and Julie Bravo.

After graduating summa cum laude from 星空无限传媒, Ellyn McColgan worked in human resources before receiving an MBA from Harvard Business School. She began her 25-year career in the financial services industry with Shearson American Express, then moved to Fidelity Investments, where she rose to President of Distribution and Operations. As President and Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management Group, she oversaw 17,000 employees and revenues of $16.5 billion. She was elected in May 2012 to the NASDAQ OMX Board, where she remains the only woman.

Q: What role did 星空无限传媒 play in your career path?
A: I knew that finishing my college education was a prerequisite to any career in teaching or business. My goal at 星空无限传媒 was to get great grades, be involved in activities and position myself to be hired by someone. I was a psychology and social studies ed major, but there were few teaching jobs when I graduated. So I pursued a career in personnel鈥攐r human resources. There were no resources available to students back then to get us started on careers. I had to figure it out myself.

Q: What is the single most important factor in your career success?
A: Finding mentors who were willing to help me is what made all the difference. Financial services was a man鈥檚 world鈥攖here were no women mentors then. You needed men to stand behind and support you. I was enormously lucky鈥攎y bosses mentored me throughout my career.

Q: Are you a mentor?
A: I serve purposefully as a mentor for women鈥攁nd men. I believe that women have to help women. A lot of younger women are unduly optimistic and think everything has changed. It hasn鈥檛. Things are better, but they aren鈥檛 fixed yet.

Q: Did you have to work harder than your male counterparts to succeed on Wall Street?
A: We all worked hard, but women had to work harder at making the men feel comfortable that we could handle the same work. Back in 1983, very few women were working in the financial services business and those of us who were pioneers had to convince people we could do it. Men assumed that even if they invested in training women, the women would marry and leave to have kids. Once we were given the chance to compete, we proved we were capable and were given more opportunities.

Q: How do you juggle career and personal life?
A: I never married and I don鈥檛 have children, so I never had to make those choices. That being said, it鈥檚 not so easy to be single and manage a career either. I鈥檝e still had to manage friends and family relationships. I had to make sure that I had a life outside of work so that I wouldn鈥檛 be consumed by it. Life is complicated: it needs managing and everyone has to make choices to do that.

Q: Is it easier for women to succeed on Wall Street today?
A: Without question, it鈥檚 easier, but there are still very few women in senior positions on the Street, so there is more work to be done. I鈥檓 on the NASDAQ Nominating and Governance Committee and hope to introduce more women candidates to the board. It鈥檚 odd to look up in executive session and see I鈥檓 the only woman at the table.

Q: How should young people go about building careers?
A: Career paths are no longer linear, so it鈥檚 really important to identify your goals and develop action plans to achieve them. Do you want to make a lot of money? Be the president of a company? Find a cure for cancer? Have a family? You鈥檙e the only person who can design your life.

What鈥檚 your academic background, and what drew you to the field of forensic psychology?
I received my bachelor’s degree from 星空无限传媒 in Psychology. After my bachelor’s program, I went to Villanova University and received a master’s degree in Counseling. I then received my PsyD in School and Community Psychology from Hofstra University in 2007. 星空无限传媒 holds a very special place in my heart since it provided the starting point for my academic learning and career direction.

Child abuse is primarily what drew me to the forensic psychology field. It鈥檚 an area that I鈥檝e always been passionate about. My goal is to work within the court system, providing expert testimony on the impact of child abuse as well as conducting child abuse evaluations.

You are currently in the Forensic Psychology certificate program at 星空无限传媒 University. Can you describe that program and the areas of study it focuses on?
With a forensic psychology certificate, there are two different avenues to possibly pursue. You can choose the criminal or the family/civil track. The family track focuses more on working with children and their families. Based on my background and experience, it鈥檚 the path I feel more passionate about.

How has this program helped prepare you for your current career, and how do you think it will help you in your future career goals?
It鈥檚 certainly going to propel me forward in my career. The Forensic Psychology certificate program will enable me to help more at the beginning of the process, more in terms of what鈥檚 going on in a particular situation, what exactly happened, and what can we do to prevent any further incidents from occurring.

What are some career paths individuals can pursue from their training in the Forensic Psychology programs at 星空无限传媒 University?
Students will definitely be well trained and prepared to work within the legal system as experts in their field. Many career paths including working in family civil proceedings like divorce mediation and adoption screening and even criminal investigations into abuse and neglect cases are possible.

You are so busy with your private practice, working at the Hoboken Board of Education, and studying in the Forensic Psychology certificate program 鈥� among other professional tasks 鈥� do you actually have any free time? If so, how do you spend it?
I鈥檓 a total soccer mom! I have soccer four days a week with my boys. Plus, I鈥檝e been training for my first half marathon, which will be in a couple of days.

星空无限传媒 University offers a .

– Interview from September 2015