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Psychology Department alum Dr. Evangeline Yang is currently an Assistant Professor in the People, Organizations and Negotiation department at IESEG School of Management in Paris, France. After obtaining her bachelor's degree in psychology from Santa Clara University in 2016, she went on to receive her Ph.D. in organizational behavior from SUNY Buffalo this past May. In her own words, Dr. Yang says:

"During my undergraduate years at SCU, I took various psychology classes and they were all extremely interesting and thought-provoking. In fact, the two intro to psychology classes were what made me switch my major from chemistry to psychology. I even kept the textbook and brought it with me all the way to my new job in Paris! From so many classes, I can still vividly recall what I learned. For example, I will always remember in the Psychopharmacology class, Dr. Simone "busted" the myth that drinking alcohol when you are freezing does not actually save your life; or, how in the Ethics in Psychology class, Dr. Plante explained how because of patient confidentially, the therapist cannot call the police even if the patient confessed to a past murder because they do not pose an immediate threat to self or others since the murder is in the past. It is without a doubt that all of the classes had a significant impact on me both as an individual and as an academic.

The research atmosphere at SCU is what drove me to academia in the first place. In fact, the mentoring I received as an undergraduate student at SCU is actually better than the guidance some of my friends got from their Ph.D. advisors. As an international student who was not confident with English, Dr. Bruchmann encouraged me to focus on what I want to say instead of how I say it since I do have many insights to share, which eventually bolstered my courage to speak more in class. Moreover, my experience in Dr. Koopmann-Holm's lab played a crucial part in my academic journey. Her passion for research is very "contagious" and sparked my interest as well. In a way, she provided a research bootcamp as she walked me through every step of the research process. I even met one of my best friends in the lab.

My biggest advice to SCU students who are potentially considering a career in academia or research-based industry positions is to get involved with research early on. I personally started reaching out to faculty members in my Sophomore year and joined two research labs where I got involved in multiple studies (one of them even got published!). Not only will such experience help you build the necessary skills for conducting research and prepare you for graduate school, but it also provides an opportunity for you to explore which path - research, teaching, or industry, is more suitable for you. All the faculty members in the psychology department are wonderful scholars and great mentors, so don't hesitate to reach out to them!"