From Classroom to Career

by By Kate Madden Yee | June 3, 2015

Students often leave college with some great book-learning, but little idea how to put that to practical use. Two Saint Mary’s professors, with their field study course, are making sure their students get out into the community before graduation.

"We're trying to provide students with high-quality, pre-professional experience that links their academic background in psychology with concrete career goals," said Associate Professor Emily Hause.

Hause developed the curriculum for what is now Psychology 195 while teaching at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, then launched the course with Professor Mary True in spring 2014.

Twelve seniors attend weekly class sessions and work 80 hours during the semester at sites such as the Monument Crisis Center in Concord and the East Oakland Boxing Association, where Michael Jones ’15 (pictured) worked.

"Field work gives students a deeper understanding of what they've learned in class and an opportunity to test their career aspirations against reality," said True. "A recommendation letter from a field work supervisor can be even more persuasive for a potential employer than a student's grade point average."

"This placement is helping me figure out whether I want to be hands-on or in a more administrative role," said Madelyn Hutson ’15, who worked at We Care Services for Children in Concord. Alumna Kalina Bryant took the class in 2014, serving at Berkeley Youth Alternatives, and found work right after graduation.

"At Berkeley Youth, I met a lot of different nonprofit executives, and from them got some perspective on what I could do after college," Bryant said. "And the kids were wonderful—I still mentor there."