Meet the Class of 2007!

Elizabeth Oberg

I am from Minnetonka, Minnesota.  I did my undergraduate work at Gustavus Adolphus College completing a major in Education (K-8), and a minor in Theatre.  My experience is based in the educational field primarily with children pre-K to 6th grade.  I picked RIT because I could pursue my ultimate goal, which is to work with youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. 

Jodi Peake

I am from Phelps, NY and attended the University at Albany.  There I majored in Psychology and minored in Education. I came to RIT because the practicum experience that the RIT program offered was important to me.

Claire Young

I am originally from East Rochester and I currently live in Pittsford.  I got my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA.  After graduating from college I worked as a one-to-one aide with a boy who has Asperger's Syndrome at Honeoye Falls-Lima Middle School for two years.  I am also the assistant cross-country and track coach at Rush-Henrietta High School.  I decided to apply to RIT because I knew it had a very reputable school psychology program.  

Courtney Richmond

I am from Endwell, NY.  My undergraduate years were spent at Ithaca College where I received my bachelors of art degree in Psychology.  After my undergraduate career, I married (so now I get to practice analyzing my husband).  I chose RIT because the faculty and students have very close relationships.  Everyone here is friendly and willing to help you out.  I also picked RIT because it offered graduate assistantships.

Missy Barkau

I am from Fairport, NY.  My undergraduate work was done at SUNY Potsdam with a major in psychology and a minor in health science.  In the past, I worked within BOCES #1 with students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  As an undergraduate, I worked at a crisis hotline answering crises phone calls.  I picked RIT because of its location (close to the city and rural areas), which gives me the ability to do practicum in a variety of settings.

Jen Merry

Hello! I am a Rochesterian that hates the cold and snowy winters. I recieved my undergrad degree from Ithaca College in 2003, where I majored in Applied Psychology (mix of psychology and business). If you've never been to Ithaca, NY, you should go! I really enjoy the school psychology program at RIT, especially the practicum experience. The quarter system is new to me, but I like it thus far. For my internship, I plan to move out of state. When I'm not studying or in class, I like to go biking, bowling, hiking, camping, shopping, and this summer I started to learn how to golf.

Courtney Wheeler 

I'm from Shelburne, Vermont. I got my undergrad degree from St. Lawrence University as a double major in psychology and economics. I chose to attend RIT because of its opportunity to work in many diverse practicum settings. 

Kristina Luscher

I am from Rochester.  I went to St. Bonaventure University for undergrad and I majored in psychology with a minor in pre-law.  I did a fieldwork placement with a school psychologist in my undergraduate years, which made me decide to apply to graduate school in the field.  I decided to come to RIT because I liked the atmosphere here when I came to the open house.

Sean Scott

I am originally from Stony Point, NY, which is north of New York City.  I received my Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Health Science, with a Concentration in Alcohol and Substance Abuse, at SUNY Brockport.  Previous to attending RIT I had worked with individuals with developmental disabilities for Hudson Valley DDSO and as an intern at Strong Memorial Hospital. I also worked for Park Ridge Hospital as an Addictions Counselor.  I came to RIT because of the practical experience I could gain here.

Kathryn Gagne

I am from Spencerport, NY.  I graduated from the University of Rochester and received my BA in Psychology and Spanish.  I have been working for Heritage Christian Services for the past 4 1/2 years.  It is a great organization providing services for adults with developmental disabilities.  My experience there has been wonderful and they have taught me so much.  Anyone interested in experience in this area should definitely check it out!  I chose RIT because of its outstanding reputation around Rochester.  The School Psychology program is great and the students and professors are very nice.  I knew that I would be able to fit in here with no problems. 

Jaime Lawson

I am from Rochester, NY.  I attended Saint John Fisher College during my undergraduate years as a psychology major.  I have always enjoyed working with children, which is why I became interested in the school psychology field.  During my undergraduate years at Saint John Fisher College, I worked as a Respite Care provider for the Better Days Ahead program, which offered me a lot of experience in working with children with emotional and behavioral difficulties.  I chose to attend RIT for its School Psychology program because it has such a great reputation.  Also, when I attended the orientation, I got the sense that the students and professors in this program have established a great sense of community.

Sara Nicholls

I am originally from Utica, NY.  For my undergraduate years, I attended RIT and received my bachelors in Information Technology.  I decided to apply to RIT again for graduate school because this program lets you obtain practicum experience from your first quarter onward.  As well, you get to take many more classes because of the quarter system. This past summer I had a wonderful work experience in Los Angeles, where I taught at a technology camp for kids.  It's amazing how different the culture is out there compared to here, but it was an awesome experience!  On a more personal note, I'm a big fan of rowing, Yellowcard, and the movie Empire Records. :)

Julie Ziegler

I am from Rochester, NY.  I have two bachelor degrees, one from SUNY Fredonia in elementary education and one from SUNY Brockport in psychology.  I chose to go to RIT because I liked the way the program was set up and the number of practicum experiences that were offered.  I've also found that the people in the program are really great, especially in our class!

Julie Miller

Though my undergraduate career was completed at Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, I am originally from Chicago, Illinois.  I have lived in many places, but none remind me of the cold Chicago winters as Rochester, where I have lived for the past two years.  During these years, I worked at Saint Joseph’s Villa with youth-at-risk as a teaching assistant.  I continue to work for this agency as a residential counselor in one of their off-campus programs.  I decided to attend RIT because it has a wonderful school psychology program that provides many new experiences and keeps me close to my new home. 

Sarah Switalski

Buffalo, NY is where I call home.  I received my Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.  My work as a special education teacher allowed me to have helpful experiences with a school psychologist that furthered my decision to enter this field.  One of the main reasons I chose RIT was because of the program's unique quarter system curriculum that involves practicum experience in the schools from the very beginning

Christine DeMart

I grew up in Rochester NY, went away for undergrad, and came right back to Rochester following college.  I graduated from Colgate University in 2003 with concentrations in both history and psychology.  Outside of school I currently work for an agency here in Rochester that serves adults who are mentally ill and chemically addicted.  I decided to apply to RIT due to the interesting faculty as well as the strong emphasis placed on practicum experiences.