Andrea Taatjes, '13

The faculty and staff of the Psychology Department at UNE were always there for support and guidance throughout my four years at the university. I always knew that their doors were open and I could confide in them with not only issues pertaining to school, but also personal problems. The students and professors were like family, always working together to better ourselves and one another. The professors all have a personal stake in the well-being and success of their students, which came across in their empathetic and knowledgeable teaching styles. The relationships I made with fellow students and professors at UNE will undoubtedly last a lifetime thanks to the close group dynamics created by the department.

I am currently in my last semester at The Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology where I will earn my Masters in Counseling and Forensic Psychology. I honestly do not believe that I would be where I am if it were not for the education I received at UNE. In my first semester of graduate school, I quickly realized that my education surpassed many of my fellow classmates who also majored in psychology. Even though many of the classes I was taking were the same as I had taken in undergrad, I did not feel like I was learning information for the first time, but rather refreshing what I already knew. I believe this is why I had an easier time transitioning into graduate school than some of my classmates who were learning the information for the first time.