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Under the direction of Dr. Heather T. Snyder, four undergraduate psychology interns have collectively completed 1,800 hours of community service during their spring 2023 internships.
The Department of Psychology at PennWest University Edinboro recently announced that Macie Jarrett (pictured above), Abigale Regal, Amarii Walker and Abbey Gardiner have completed 12-credit internships toward their Bachelor of Science in Psychology programs.
Undergraduate internships in psychology are typically undertaken by students following their junior year. Internships provide students with an opportunity to obtain professional work experience in a variety of settings in the field of psychology.
Jarrett completed her internship at Sarah Reed Children’s Center’s Hamilton Campus Partial Hospitalization Program under the direction of Patty Esposito, director of the program. Following her internship, Jarrett will continue to work as a behavior counselor at Sarah Reed while pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling at Edinboro.
“All children need is a little help, a little hope, and someone who believes in them,” Jarrett said.
Regal completed her internship at the Crime Victim Center of Erie County under the direction of Amy Blackman, co-assistant director and director of Prevention Education. Upon finishing her bachelor’s degree, Regal plans to earn a master’s degree or Ph.D.
“In our coursework, we learn all about human behavior and the importance of therapeutic resources,” Regal said. “It was wonderful to finally apply what I learned and witness the growth and healing of others in a professional setting.”
Walker also completed her internship with Esposito at the Sarah Reed Children’s Center’s Hamilton Campus Partial Program. Following her internship, Walker plans to move to Indiana, Pa., to find employment as a behavioral health technician.
“My time at Sarah Reed has allowed me to use my class lecture experiences and apply them to real-world situations to develop a deeper understanding of the behavioral health field,” Walker said.
Gardiner completed her internship with the STRIDE program at Beacon Light Behavioral Health System, under the direction of Dianna Swank, residential treatment coordinator. After the internship, she plans to attend graduate school at PennWest to pursue a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.
“The opportunity to complete an internship allowed me to form my career goals,” she said.
