ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ

Information we have received to date:Ìý
Ìý

Callista Poiter ‘21

After graduating ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with her BA in Health Sciences and Psychology, Callista joined the work force in the clinical mental health field, assisting the homeless population. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research at Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine. She hopes to continue her education upon graduation to obtain a PhD in Health Psychology.

Abby Nathan, '20

After receiving her B. A. in Psychology from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Abby Nathan graduated from Vanderbilt University's Human Development Counseling program in May 2023 with a Master of Education specializing in school counseling. She then attained her certification to be a school counselor in the state of TN. She will be starting her first year as a professional school counselor at Alex Green Elementary Design and Technology Magnet School in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School District. She is excited to start her comprehensive school counseling program focused on prevention, trauma-sensitive, and developmentally appropriate practices.

Olivia Reames, '20
Olivia is currently enrolled in a BSN program at UNC Pembroke with the goal of becoming a psychiatric nurse. Her expected graduation date is May of 2023!

Alex McIntyre, '16
Alex McIntyre is the current lab coordinator for the Emotion and Anxiety Research Lab (EARL) at Vanderbilt, where he is assisting the graduate students with their studies and working with Dr. Bunmi Olatunji on a neuroimaging study investigating the neural basis of disgust conditioning in OCD patients. ÌýHe eventually plans to pursue a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling following his time at EARL.Ìý

Chloe Showalter, '16
After receiving their B.A. in psychology at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Chloe earned their Master of Arts in Teaching at Mount Holyoke College. They taught high school English for a few years and then moved on to Arkansas Baptist College Adult Education Center where they are helping students earn their GEDs.Ìý They have recently published a number of works including three short stories, a film review, a poem, and in April of 2024, a book of poetry calledÌýGestaltÌýwhose title is inspired by theirÌýpsychology background.Ìý

Georgia Belk, '13
On August 26, Georgia stared classes for the school psychology Ph.D. program at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.Ìý She will also be taking on a research assistantship under Drs. George DuPaul and Lee Kern.Ìý The project she will be assisting is called PEAK:Ìý Promoting Engagement with ADHD pre-Kindergarteners.Ìý It is aÌýweb-based parent education program for parents of at-risk kiddos.Ìý

Jenny Burgos, '13
Jenny is currently working as a physical therapist and occupational therapist technician in Dallas, Texas.ÌýÌý Her work involves teaching patients rehabilitation exercises and providing electrical stimulation and ultrasounds for healing.Ìý She often works with the therapists to modify and create new exercises for patients.Ìý After completing her prerequisite courses in May 2014, she hopes to attend graduate school in the fall of 2014 to earn her Masters DegreeÌýin Occupational Therapy.Ìý

Rebecca Cox, '13
Rebecca has been volunteering in the Emotion and Anxiety Research Lab at Vanderbilt, working with Dr. Bunmi Olatunji on a project examining the effects of genetic influences and attentional biases on PTSD symptoms in trauma-exposed veterans. She will begin work on her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the fall, at Vanderbilt.Ìý

Caroline Craig, '13
Starting in July of 2013, Caroline will begin work with an Americorps program called City Year, located in Denver, Colorado.Ìý Through City Year, Caroline will mentor and tutor struggling students in a public high school in the Denver Metro Area.Ìý Caroline's commitment to service work via City Year will continue until June 2014, after which she will continue her educational career in teaching or perhaps school counseling.

Lauren DeLano, '13
After graduating from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with a B.A. in Psychology and minor in religious studies, Lauren attended seminary at Boston University School of Theology. ÌýShe recently received her Master of Divinity degree from BU. ÌýAnd, she has now been commissioned as an Elder in the United Methodist Church and began serving as the Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Conway, Arkansas, in July of 2016.Ìý

Jonathan English, '13
Jonathan is working as a Trail Crew Leader with Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC), a conservation corps program for youth (ages 18-24) in Denver.Ìý Jonathan's summer position involves leading teenagers and young adults in service projects that benefit both themselves and the community.Ìý MHYC gives youths the opportunity to explore nature while also learning the importance of educational experiences and responsibility.Ìý After his summer with MYHC, Jonathan plans to continue work with adolescents and with the outdoors. ÌýÌý

Tom Holt, '12
Tom is a 3L at Harvard Law School where he studies law, business, and Mandarin Chinese. He researches cryptocurrency regulation and international/comparative law, centering on Latin America and China. He’s very willing to talk to any ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students who are interested in going to law school.

Jennifer Smith, '12
Jennifer is currently working toward a Masters degree in Social Work at the University of Arkansas.Ìý She is interested in working with children with disabilities and their families, specifically those in preschool who are considered "at risk", and she is currently interning at the Sunshine School and Development Center in Rogers, doing just that.Ìý In addition, she is interested in advocating for people with mental illness and disabilities on a local level, specifically within schools, hospitals, and the legal system.Ìý After completing the mastersÌýprogram in May of 2014, Jennifer will go on to complete the two-year process to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Ìý

Jessica Alwell '11
This fall (2016), Jessica started her masters program in Human Resource Education and Leadership Development at Louisiana State University. ÌýShe mentioned that she has to write in APA style in all of her classes, so pay attention :) Ìý There are lots of career opportunities open to someone with this degree and Jessica would be willing to talk to any current ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students about the program, especially those with interest in Social and I/O psychology.Ìý

Sarah Beth Bell, '11

After 3 years of working as the child advocate at the Women's Shelter of Central Arkansas, Sarah Beth got her master's and PhD in social psychology at the University of Kentucky, where she gained expertise in noninvasive brain stimulation.Ìý Currently, Sarah Beth serves as a biostatistician and research development specialist at the University of Oklahoma in their School of Community Medicine.Ìý She consults with physicians about their research, and she also has her own lines of research focused on social determinants of health.ÌýÌý

FeDerica Gill, '11
FeDerica will complete her AmeriCorps service year with the Arkansas 4-H Afterschool program in August 2013.Ìý SheÌýserved as a capacity builder for the 4-H by creating local partnerships with other youth-serving organizations, managing newsletters, and social media, and providing professional development training to afterschool providers.Ìý She will start the Masters of Social Work program at UALR in the fall.Ìý

Stacey Makhanova, '11
Starting in the fall of 2013, Stacey will continue to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology at Florida StateÌýUniversity, working with Dr. Jon Maner.Ìý Her research interests include the integration of social and evolutionary theories in examining interpersonal relationships.Ìý She started her graduate student career at the University of Kentucky working with Dr. Saul Miller and Dr. Will Gervals.

Julia Shimada, '11
Julie is currently working at a retirement community in the Chicago area as an activity coordinator for a dementia unit.Ìý The work involves dancing, singing, bingo, and generally bringing meaningful moments of joy to older adults.

Blake Stroud, '11
Working as aÌýpsychometrist for a neurobehavioral group affiliated with the University of New Orleans, LSU, and Tulane.Ìý The work involves administering and scoring diagnosticÌýtests for psychoeducational evaluations, workman's comp cases, pre-surgical evaluations and neurological deficiencies.ÌýÌý

Tori Todd '11Ìý
Tori is currently working at UNC Chapel Hill as a Statistical Analyst and Research Associate for GEAR UP, an experimental joint-program between the State of North Carolina and the UNC Center for School Leadership Development. GEAR UP provides academic services and college access information to low-income teens throughout North Carolina. Tori will begin nursing school at Duke University in 2012 and she plans to pursue her Ph.D. in Psychiatric Nursing in order to research Axis II disorders, with a particular emphasis on treatment development for Borderline Personality Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder/Psychopathy.Ìý

Nate CarnesÌý '10Ìý
Pursuing social psychology research at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with Dr. Ronnie Janoff-Bulman.Ìý He's interested in moral self-regulation and its relationship to social regulation or politics.Ìý For example, in what ways do liberals and conservatives think about morality differently?ÌýÌýÌý

Andy HeadÌý '10Ìý
Took a job in Austin, Texas, Ìýworking for Americorps. Will be working with survivors of domestic violence, especially ones with disabilities.ÌýÌýÌý

RoShunna Lea '10Ìý
Currently in graduate school at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology (the D.C. campus).Ìý Getting masters in counseling and may continue to get PsyD.ÌýÌý

Aaron Schneider '10
Aaron became a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and while working as a hospice social worker with Hospice Home Care also became a certified dementia practitioner. He recently took a job working as a social worker at UAMS in Little Rock.Ìý

Alex Sego, ’10Ìý

Alex is currently the Assistant Camp Director at Camp CAMP, a non-profit organization in San Antonio, TX. CAMP provides a summer camp experience and other year-round programs for children and adults with medical, physical, cognitive, and behavioral special needs. CAMP serves over 1000 campers and utilizes over 500 volunteers and program staff each year. CAMP is a great opportunity for students, especially those interested in healthcare, human services, education, psychology, and recreation, and Alex would love to tell you more!

Sonet Smitherman '10
After graduating, Sonet started working for the Department of Psychiatry in the College of Medicine at UAMS, first with the Center for Addiction Research, then in the Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC) as a Research Coordinator. ÌýShe received her Masters (MS) in Clinical and Translational Sciences through the UAMS in May 2015, where she now administrates large center grants within the Department of Biochemistry, assisting faculty and students in preparing submissions for grant funding, core facility usage, and manuscript preparation. Ìý

William Woody ' 10
Alex is pursuing his Ph.D. in Experimental Health Psychology at Ohio University under Dr. Peggy Zoccola. ÌýHe studies how rumination (i.e., negative repetitive past-focused thoughts) can extend and reactivate the endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune response to stress, which may lead to poor health and disease over time. Ìý

Laura Jennings '09
Working at Hope and Healing, a wellness facility serving mainly uninsured working people.Ìý She teaches physical exercise, nutrition, and art in the Child Life Education and Movement area and works with children 6 months to 11 years old.Ìý

Bruce Neel '09
Left the William H. Bowen School of Law to pursue a career in the medical field.Ìý He is currently completing prerequisites at the University of Central Arkansas to enter the Doctor of Physical Therapy program in the fall of 2011.Ìý

Kelly Zalocusky '09
Kelly is studying for her Ph.D. in Neurosciences at Stanford University. In 2010, she was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. She is currently working in the lab of Karl Deisseroth, where she hopes to use optogenetics to study explore/exploit decision making in rodents.

Letitia Pritchard-Brown '08ÌýÌýÌý
Residential caregiver - Community House Mental Health Agency

Lucy Holifield '08
Intern at Chicago Botanical Gardens, working with plants and animals in the field

Merry Miller '08ÌýÌýÌý
Mental health paraprofessional at Ozark Guidance Residential Treatment facility,ÌýFayetteville, Arkansas

Lauren Turner-Gates '08
Housing manager at Counseling Associates, Inc., and in the masters of community counseling program at UCA

Sarah Ervin '08
Administrative Assistant in the Office of Graduate Admissions and Services at Columbia College Chicago, the largest private arts and media college in the U.S. She has also created a highly trafficked blog, Westervin.com, and a web design and social media consulting business with her fiance Brian West (ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ '08).

Stephanie Ryan Williams '08ÌýÌý
Ryan completed her Master of Public Service at the Clinton School of Public Service.Ìý As a student at the Clinton School, she worked on a women's health equity research project with a small NGO while living in southeast Asia.Ìý She is currently working on a faith-based health promotion project in the Little Rock 12th Street Corridor, and she will complete her Master of Public Health from the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health in May 2013.Ìý Ryan ultimately plans to continue her work in faith-based health promotion and research work in underserved communities, and in Fall 2013, she will begin her doctoral degree in Health Promotion and Prevention Research at UAMS.Ìý

Jessie Wood '08 ÌýÌý
Masters in Forensic Psychology Program, University of Denver in Colorado

Ashley Cowles Ransom '07
Ashley will be starting her Ph.D. in developmental psychology at Cornell University this fall. She will be working with Dr. Katherine Kinzler on research that examines the development of social cognition with a focus on language as a social category. Ashley's research interests include children's essentialist beliefs about language, the development of metalinguistic awareness, and the development of disgust.

Katie Brown '07Ìý
Currently finishing up the second year of her Community Agency Counseling degree at the University of Memphis.Ìý She is enjoying the program doing research on geriatric issues, animal-assisted therapy, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered people (LGBT) issues.

Adrienne Crowell '07Ìý
Received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in Social Psychology and came to teach at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ as a Visiting Assistant Professor for three years. In 2019 she accepted an Assistant Professor position at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Ìý

Rebecca McBrady '06
Finished Masters at Washington University Brown School of Social WorkÌýin St. Louis, Missouri in May 2009.Ìý Volunteering at NEST for summer before starting a job search.

Rip Weaver '06

Rip Weaver currently works in food systems development and food safety with the University of Arkansas System's Extension Service in Little Rock. Upon graduating from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Rip moved to Boston, MA where heÌýenrolled into Northeastern University's Master of Public Health (MPH) program in Urban Public Health. It was here that he discovered a passion for understanding how access to -- or lack thereof -- healthy, affordable food plays a role in both physicalÌýand mental health. While in graduate school, he completed an internship with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, participated in professional workshops at Tufts University, and held membership in and attended both the American Public Health Association's and Massachusetts Public Health Association's Annual Meetings. In addition to his academic pursuits, he maintained employment including as the manager for the Oak Square (now Brighton) Farmers Market and program support for the YMCA of Greater Boston. Rip resides in Little Rock and enjoys spending time with his family and friends, cooking, traveling, swimming, and being near the water.

Leighanne Hillman Alford '05
Donor Relations Coordinator at Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock, Arkansas.Ìý

Elizabeth Burba-Carter '05
Graduated from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with Masters in Accounting in '06 and is currently the Supervisor of Retail Revenue Accounting at Verizon Wireless in Little Rock.ÌýÌý

Ashley MannÌý '05
After completing ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Ashley completed a Mental Health Paraprofessional Certification and worked with children and adolescents receiving services from a community based mental health provider. ÌýInÌý2007, Ashley transitioned from the clinical setting to the judicial setting as a Juvenile Probation Officer for the Faulkner County Juvenile Court.Ìý In 2009, she became the Juvenile Drug Court Coordinator and assisted with the implementation of the program for the county.Ìý Ashley is now the Chief Administrative Officer for the court.Ìý She creates and implements after-school programs for the juveniles and hosts interns from ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, UCA, andÌýCBC.Ìý She is also a yoga and cycling instructor, and a proud parent of two children, Zoe and Eli.Ìý

Meghan Murphy '05 Ìý
Completed third-year grad school at the University of Missouri in Kansas City in Clinical Health Psychology Ph.D. program.

Brandon Thurow '05
Graduated from UAMS in 2009 and will finish his family medicine residency in June 2012.ÌýÌýHe is the proud dad of 3-year old Emerie and 2-year old Grayson.Ìý He and his wife, Casey Throneberry Thurow '05, live in North Little Rock.

Casey Throneberry Thurow '05Ìý
Graduated from UAMS in 2010.Ìý She is the proud mom of 3-year old Emerie and 2-year old Grayson and lives in North Little Rock with husband Brandon Thurow '05.Ìý

Wes Alford '04Ìý
Graduated with an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational PsychologyÌýat Louisiana Tech University inÌý2010, and is currently in the inaugural class of the Leadership Studies Ph.D. program at the University of Central Arkansas. .

Matthew Graham '04 Ìý
Director of Youth Ministries, Asbury United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas

Taylor Poling '04Ìý
Received Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the summer '09.Ìý Is now working full time as a research associate at Fors Marsh Group - a market research and organizational consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

Jessica Duke Alexander '03 Ìý
Completed Ph.D. in Psychology from Emory University in August, and is now an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Concord University, a public liberal arts college in West Virginia.

Shana Southard-Dobbs '03Ìý
Counselor and Transfer Specialist working with federally funded program, TRIO Student Support Services at North Central Texas College

Holly Best Parker '02
Has been a Labor and Delivery RN since 2005 and a practicing Doula with Birth Works since 2001.Ìý She is currently working helping new people come peacefully into the world in Conway Regional's Labor and Delivery Department and is completing her apprenticeship in midwifery with Kim Jacob's Home Birth Services.Ìý She and her husband Clayton joyfully welcomed their first child, Story Mae, into the world (and their living room) in 2012.Ìý Ìý

J.J. McNiece '02ÌýÌý
Licensed Attorney with an LL.M. in tax law, but keeping the law firm light to pursue creative writing at UCA.Ìý Started classes spring semester, 2014, as a nontraditional in hopes of earning a place in the MFA program.Ìý "I do hope to stop adding initials to my name one day," he claims.Ìý

Emily Johnson '02
Chaplain at UAMS.ÌýÌýCompleted MA in Counseling Ministries at Denver Seminary in Colorado in December 2004.