The 1^st year school psychology students are excited to continue their graduate education at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Introductions are below, as well as reflections from the student's experiences at their first practicum sites.

Karen Adams:
I earned my undergraduate degree in Psychology at William Smith College in Geneva, NY. I am placed at Macedon Elementary, a smaller school in a rural community. I have had the opportunity to attend a few meetings, do classroom observations, and sit in on some counseling sessions. I really enjoy the school because everyone works together, is friendly, and is concerned about keeping the school's environmenta great place for children and faculty. I chose RIT because I liked the fact that westart our practicum our first yearand because the faculty are so warm and friendly.

Erin Brown:
I am a recent graduate from SUNY Brockport with a B.S. in psychology and health science, and a minor in sociology. I am currently placed at Victor Primary, a school with children in grades 1-3. My supervisor there has introduced me to the field and allowed me appropriate opportunities to practice my skills. I chose to attend RIT resulting from the school's great reputation and diverse faculty.

Christina Carducci:
I graduated from the University at Buffalo with a BA in Psychology. I am placed at Churchville-Chili High School. The school psychologist I am working with has been teaching me a lot and helping me gain a better understanding of psychoeducational assessment. I also love observing the self contained (12-1-1) Functional Life Skills classroom there. I chose RIT because of its amazing reputation and its highly distinguished professors that have a lot of knowledge and authority in the field.

Alyssa Castronova:
I went to St. Bonaventure University and majored in psychology. My current practicum site is Paddy Hill Elementary School in Greece. It is a K-2 school. I've been learning a lot about their autism program so far. I like working at Paddy Hill because everyone is really nice and is willing to help me get the most out of my practicum experience by letting me observe all the different things they do. I chose RIT because they put us in the schools right away so we gain experience right from the beginning.

Kristin Dehmler:
I received my undergraduate degree from SUNY Albany where I majored in Psychology and minored in Educational Studies. I am placed in Gates Chili School District and Neil Armstrong Elementary School for my practicum. I am having a great experience there, and I am learning aboutall of the different roles that school psychologists are responsible for,especially assessments, counseling and consultation. I chose RIT because of the school's prestigious reputation and the rigorous and well respected School Psychology Master's degree program that it offers. I love the program here at RIT. I feel that the professors are very committed to giving the students all of the knowledge and skills they will need in the field.

Jessica Diehl:
I graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor's in psychology. I am currently placed in the Hilton Central School District at Quest Elementary. I am really enjoying my placement, and my supervisor is a graduate of RIT's program, so she is a great resource. I decided to come to RIT for my Master's because of the opportunity to work so much in the schools and the variety of placements available.

Kelly Eastman:
I went to Ithaca College and majored in psychology with a minor in speech communication. I am currently placed in Dudley Elementary for my first practicum site. It is a kindergarten through second grade school in the Fairport school district. Dudley is an inviting, friendly and warm environment where I have already begun learning a great deal of information. Opportunities to observe in classrooms, sit in on administrative meetings and become familiar with educational assessments and counseling strategies are all available and encouraged. I am very excited and enthusiastic about the upcoming year at Dudley and cannot wait to experience this great opportunity! I chose RIT because I'm from Rochester and loved the practicum experience it had to offer!'

Meghan Frazee:
I am a recent graduate of SUNY Geneseo with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in human development. Currently, my practicum placement is at Council Rock Primary School in Brighton. This is a K-2 building and I absolutely love it. My supervisor has really gotten me involved by having me do classroom observations, help facilitate a counseling group, and sit in on assessments. I really am happy I chose RIT because we have two years of practicum experience and great professors. I am also happy that our class has grown close this Fall.

Nicole Gilmour:
I went to Nazareth for my undergraduate degree in psychology. I am currently placed at Happiness House in Geneva, NY. It's a Preschool with all kinds of children, those with and without special needs. I love learning about all the various students with special needs, particularly children with autism. I also have learned a lot about the assessment and testing processes. I chose to study school psychology at RIT because the program was a nice blend of assessment/testing and counseling. I felt that RIT really cared about their students and having the opportunity to study with a close group of students was very appealing. Regarding the program; it's amazing! I love how all our classes are practical for what we need to know as school psychologists. And the other students in the program are so supportive and helpful it's like a big family!

Sarah Hinman:
For undergrad I attended Elmira College. My placement for Practicum I is at the Happiness House. I am loving Happiness House and it's uniqueness. It is definitely an experience I will gain tons of knowledge from. The Practicum was one of the major reasons for attending RIT. With the practicum, we are exposed very early on to an educational setting where we can see school psychology being practiced right in front of us.

Emily Watts:
I am originally from Buffalo, NY and attended undergrad at the University at Buffalo. My practicum site is at Paul Rd. Elementary, which is a K-5 suburban setting. My practicum experience has taught me a lot so far about the applied methods used in schools that I have learned in class. I chose to come to RIT because of the immediate practicum placement, and the faculty and staff are extremely welcoming and helpful.