Betsy Juarez: Class of 2012
Who are you and what year did you enter
STJ
I began the Psy.D. program in 2007 after having taken one year
to work with children with autism. In 2006, I graduated from
Boston College, where I majored in psychology and minored in
Hispanic Studies.
What projects/research are you currently working on and
with what professor?
During my first two years, I had a doctoral fellowship and
worked with Dr. Ortiz as well as Dr. Walton. I helped Dr.
Walton with some of her personality data from Vietnam. Dr.
Ortiz and I have been researching cultural competence and what it
means for school psychologists. We have also created a measure
to assess graduate students' cultural competence before and after a
course in cultural diversity. Dr. Terjesen and I have examined
major school psychology journals to uncover common publishing
practices. We are working now on making some of our
convention posters into a journal article for submission.
Finally, I've worked on my dissertation with Dr. Flanagan.
She and I are examining whether cognitive-achievement relationships
that have been supported by previous research are also present in
children with low reading achievement. We will also be writing
a journal article for submission this coming summer.
What has been your most valuable experience(s) so far at
STJ
I've had numerous valuable experiences during my graduate career
with STJ. The thing that stands out the most was my summer
abroad in Vietnam. I was with an amazing group of students and
staff. We bonded during that time as we grew from our
experiences across the globe. My personal and professional
interest in cultural competence really took off from that
trip.
How has STJ influenced your identity in the field of
school psychology
I would say that our professors at STJ have largely influenced
me. They really encourage students to engage in the research
and to observe how that carries over into practice. They are
also very involved themselves in the field. For instance, I
have attended the past 5 NASP conventions. When I see them
present or see them among other experts, it is apparent to me just
how ingrained they are in the gears and cogs of school
psychology. Students at STJ are being exposed to cutting edge
research and to professors who truly strive for best
practices.
Where do you see yourself in the future and how will STJ
help you reach that goal?
I plan to practice in the field and also to work in
academia. I believe that my desire to be on both sides stems
from STJ's emphasis on the scientist-practitioner model. I
don't think I could be content to stop learning at this
point. I love working with children and helping them succeed,
but I also love research and moving forward with the field.
Those ideals come from my time at STJ. Also, the networking that
I've achieved and continue to achieve through my professors will
likely help me in a more practical way. I've already
interviewed with (and been offered a position at) one university up
in Boston due to a recommendation from a STJ professor at a
convention.
Dr. Froh:
Who are you, what year did you graduate from STJ, and
what degree did you earn?
My name is Jeffrey Froh, and I graduated from St. John’s
School Psychology Program with my Psy.D. in 2004.
What are you currently doing/involved in
now?
I am currently an assistant professor at Hofstra University with
main responsibilities in the School-Community Psy.D. program. There
I teach courses in research methods (graduate) and positive
psychology (undergraduate). My research now focuses on the
well-springs, assessment, and promotion of gratitude in
youth.
What accomplishments are you most proud
of?
I am most proud of landing my position at Hofstra University. I
worked as a school psychologist for 3 years prior to joining
Hofstra, and entering academia was always one of my dreams. So to
get a tenure-track position at such an incredible place like
Hofstra is a dream come true for me. I am also very proud of the $1
million dollar grant we just received from The John Templeton
Foundation to study gratitude in youth, the contract we have with
Templeton Press for a trade book on raising grateful kids, and the
activities book for teaching positive psychology that I co-edited
for the American Psychological Association.
How has the education at STJ influenced your
current professional identity?
There is no question in my mind that I am where I am today
professionally because of my education from St. John’s
University. First, the faculty treated us as much more than
students; they treated us as colleagues. And it was these
relationships that gave me the support, encouragement, and
confidence needed to excel in and out of the classroom. Second, the
faculty were incredible role models when it came to being true
scientist-practitioners. Before entering St. John’s becoming a
professor and researcher never, and I mean never, crossed my mind.
But after only a few months of working with the leaders in the
field, I became hooked on conducting research. Passion breeds
passion and working with the St. John’s faculty on research left me
with no choice but to feed off of their energy and develop a love
for crunching numbers and learning how the world works. Finally,
the St. John’s faculty cared for their students. It became clear to
me early on that they did not merely have jobs or even careers—they
had callings and helping students find their own professional
purpose was their priority. If the faculty did not take such an
interest in me or my goal pursuits, who knows where I would be. To
say I am grateful to them would be an understatement.
Where do you see yourself in the future and how has STJ
influenced that?
I see myself still teaching at Hofstra University but, I see
myself getting less involved with research and more involved with
teaching and administration. St. John’s influenced that because I
saw how they changed student’s lives by keeping the human touch
alive. Doing so takes time and if helping students live a more
meaningful and fulfilling life means I have to step away from the
lab and spend more time in the classroom or reviewing budgets, so
be it. To me, it’s well worth it.
Ellen-ge Denton: Alumni
Who are you, what year did you graduate from STJ, and
what degree did you earn?
My name is Ellen-ge Denton and I graduated in May 2008 with a
PsyD in School Psychology.
What are you currently doing/involved in
now?
I am a Licensed Psychologist and Post Doctoral Research
Scientist at Columbia University Medical Center.
What accomplishments are you most proud
of?
I am most proud of completing and publishing scholarly research
articles.
How has the education at STJ influenced your
current professional identity?
My education at SJU has given me established and productive
collaborations for both research and clinical work, which has
shaped every career opportunity that I have had since graduation. I
am extremely grateful for the expert and authentic professors at
SJU.
Where do you see yourself in the future and how has STJ
influenced that?
SJU has given me several research opportunities and excellent
clinical training. I see myself teaching clinical/school psychology
in a University department and developing a research lab to assess
the cultural factors that influence mental health outcomes.