Rebekah Smith came to Appalachian State University from a small, rural North Carolina town with dreams of nursing school. However, after taking an entry-level psychology class, she realized it was time to change her major.

“I was very intrigued by psychology after taking that class,” Smith said. “I decided to concentrate on health studies because I think that to have the best overall health one must be healthy mentally and physically.”

Smith said that she was also confident in her choice to move to the Psychology (BS) - Health Studies major because of the passionate and enthusiastic faculty.

“The professors in our department are extremely helpful and want to see students succeed,” Smith said. “Most are willing to discuss topics outside of class to help students better understand difficult subjects and some have given me tips on how to efficiently study for tests.”

As she begins the process of applying to graduate school for clinical psychology, Smith said faculty members have mentored her through the process.

Smith said she feels prepared for graduate school and beyond because of the department’s Careers in Psychology class, which focuses on building a resume and cover letter, graduate school requirements, and a general overview of how to succeed in different careers in psychology.

Smith has also worked with Dr. Denise Martz’s research team and will intern with the Appalachian State University Psychology Clinic in fall 2015.

“Being on a research team has been a great hands-on experience in which I learned how to use tools and materials to properly collect and analyze data,” Smith said. “Practicing these skills has helped me prepare for future research endeavors.”