Samantha Mendez '24

What drew you to Bryant?

I chose Bryant because of the close-knit feel of the community and the exceptional faculty in the Psychology Department. The first time I toured campus, all I saw were friendly faces. 

Why pursue psychology as a major?

Psychology provides an opportunity to impact people’s lives in a meaningful way. It also leads to a broad field of different jobs, skills, and people. 

Bryant’s psychology program is a close community. The faculty are beyond supportive and have had a positive impact on my time at Bryant. Professor Allison Butler, in particular, is always available to lend a hand, whether it be extra help in class or coordinating events with the Bryant Psychology Association. Many of the professors have inspired me to apply for leadership roles and find ways to integrate psychology into my other courses and everyday life.

Tell us about your minor in management. 

Many of the courses incorporate psychology — how we can better understand people to make efficient business decisions. I think psychology and management go hand in hand, and I’m grateful that Bryant allows me to explore those connections. 

What do you love most about the Bryant community?

No matter where you come from, you’ll find where you belong on campus. There are so many organizations that support students’ interests. When you’re a part of this community, you learn about other students’ unique perspectives and experiences, and that allows you to connect with students outside of your same major and classes. I’m a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Bryant Psychology Association, Psi Chi Honor Society, and Best Buddies.

Tell us about your internship.

I’m interning at Sprout and S.T.E.M, an organization based out of Providence that strives to provide academic resources to underprivileged students in the Rhode Island school districts. I’m applying many of the skills that I’ve gained from courses in both my major and minor. I’ve had to navigate working relationships and conflict resolution, while also tailoring lesson plans to best fit the students I’m tutoring. I’m coordinating a group of other undergraduate students who are also tutoring, and that’s allowed me to step into a leadership role, too. 

Any other valuable experiential learning? 

I completed an experiential research project with Professor Kristin Scaplen that entailed creating our own psychology research project from start to finish. The purpose was to better understand students’ anxiety and how they cope. It helped me better understand the work that goes into research and how to better interpret things I may read. 

What are your future plans?

My ultimate goal is to apply to a master’s program in school counseling. I’ve learned so much from my time here and I want to support other students in their education journey.