When I first started at UMass Lowell I had a vague interest in social studies and human services, but no clue of what type of work or which populations I would prefer to serve. I first became more familiar with Sociology by taking a few classes with Professor Adrian Cruz, who was always enthusiastic and interested in helping me define my passion. Later, Professor Mignon Duffy and Professor Charlotte Ryan (my advisor) directed me towards practicum opportunities with local organizations. I first volunteered with Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership and then interned with Budget Buddies. These experiences allowed me to try different aspects of social services including direct work with people, data analysis, and more. In my last year I was a research assistant through the Emerging Scholars program (which Professor Duffy is great at promoting!). The experiences previously mentioned prepared me well enough for that position, and the program itself turned out to be the most valuable opportunity I had as an undergraduate. It combined so many facets of Sociology, including things I had learned in the two research methods classes, in a real-life application. My year-long project with the Emerging Scholars Program was a qualitative investigation of youth perspectives on violence and community in Lowell. I helped facilitate focus groups with youth, produce creative projects, do hands-on data collection (transcribing, coding, thematic analysis), and and participate in professional research conferences. Although much of the work overlapped with psychology, it was mainly a full immersion into what research and direct work with people entails. I learned how committed I was to working with youth, as well as to analyzing issues and possible solutions for community issues. Since I've graduated, I've been working as a Peer Mentor for a community service agency in southeast Massachusetts. My position is funded through a Department of Mental Health grant that aims to improve services for transition-aged youth across the state. My work is an awesome blend of direct work with clients, community outreach, data collection, and research. I help support young adults with mental health challenges with advice on how to navigate mental health services, find local resources, and generally transition into young adulthood. Additionally, I get to collect data for DMH, collaborate with other organizations, and participate in statewide committees advocating for youth voice. I love my job and am still surprised at how it incorporates so many things I learned in school. I hope to eventually earn a Master's degree as I advance in the agency and learn even more about what I am passionate about. Beyond all the research, studying Sociology allowed me to have cultural competency and understand how individuals impact and are impacted by their communities.
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