Celebrating Accomplishments and Transitions

Here in Seattle, spring is the time of cherry blossoms, the start of boating season, and maybe even a hint of sunny weather.  At the University of Washington, as in other colleges and universities across the county, spring is also the time of celebrations and transitions.  Over this past school year, more than 400 psychology majors have earned their Bachelor's degrees and are poised to begin new chapters in their lives. 

On June 7, over 200 of these graduating students, along with nearly 1200 of their family members and friends, gathered at the Daniels Recital Hall in downtown Seattle to mark this important transition, and to cheer their accomplishments.  Among our graduates are 15 Psychology Honors students who participated in this years Honors Poster Session, showcasing the results of their research projects.  Our graduates also include 14 Mary Gates Research and Leadership Scholars, two Arts and Sciences Timeless Future Award recipients, two Levinson Emerging Scholars, recipients of Undergraduate Research Travel and Conference Awards, and a nominee for the Dean's Medal in Natural Sciences.

With newly awarded Bachelor's degrees in hand, and an impressive number of personal and academic accomplishments behind them, our psychology graduates are headed out to tackle new and exciting challenges.  For many, graduate study is in their immediate future, including programs at the University of Washington, the University of British Columbia, Washington State University, Pepperdine University, the University of Pittsburgh, Bastyr University, Seattle Pacific University, the Pacific University College of Optometry, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Gonzaga University, Loyola University, and Columbia University.  Other new graduates are headed into the workforce as case aides, corporate recruiters, human resource specialists, client services coordinators, marketing interns, research assistants, grant coordinators, behavioral intervention specialists, and teachers.

In the Psychology Advising Office, the work of helping our students to negotiate transitions to careers and graduate study begins early on.  Advisors work with students individually, as well as in workshop and class settings, to help connect them with resources on and off campus that will allow them to learn skills, gain rich experiences, and refine their interests.  Two such endeavors, the Applying to Graduate School class and the Getting a Job Support Group [link to "Making the Leap: Getting a Job Support Group" article], are featured in this newsletter.