Art Therapy graduate Jennifer "Fern" Deininger discusses how the Mentorship program, which pairs graduate Art Therapy students with undergraduate Art Therapy students, was instrumental in helping her forge her path.
- Sign up for the Internship class and complete an internship related to the psychology/counseling field. See the Career & Life Development office on MyNaropa for the full internship site list and for a variety of different organizations to get involved in.
- Get involved in school leadership groups & resources i.e. SUN, the Naropa Community & Student Counseling Centers, residence halls, CARE team, CReST, conflict / mediation support, leadership groups, etc.
- Complete a service learning project aligned with your career goals/path. See your COR professors & advisors for details.
- Align your classes, curriculum, research projects and thesis/capstone projects with your career goals/path.
- Volunteer at community organizations that align with your career goals & provide the opportunity for hands-on training—think: crisis hotlines, youth support, homeless population services, LGBTQIA+ organizations, eating disorder foundations, elderly care, mentorship, tutoring, etc.
- Earn a minor in a specialized field of interest.
- Participate in community training opportunities offered by various organizations i.e. Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, ASSIST suicide training, Crisis Training, Right Use of Power, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, among others.
- Become fluent in a foreign language to serve a variety of populations.
- Familiarize yourself with partner organizations/community resources that can best serve those populations that you want to work with.
- Get started in an entry-level position in clinical counseling setting, private counseling and/or agency environment.
- Pursue a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, or social work.
If you plan on continuing your education in counseling/psychology in terms of a graduate degree, there are several things you will want to keep in mind while in your undergraduate studies:
- Academic work and the way you show up is VERY important. Put in your best effort academically and aim for a high grade point average.
- Relationships matter. REALLY matter. Build positive connections while in the Naropa community with faculty, staff, colleagues, etc. These relationships will continue to support you, and you can ask those same people to provide recommendation letters for your graduate degree applications!
- Get experience! A lot of it. Either through academic, internship, volunteer, or work opportunities. This will bolster your application and CV immensely!