Major: Psychology
Minor: Religion
Why did you choose your major?
I chose my major because I have always had a love for and interest in people. I like learning about their backgrounds and what experiences in their life have made them the way they are. Geropsychology is my specific interest as I have many older adult friends. I find it very important to dedicate myself to showing them and younger generations that they can make the most out of their later years.
Why did you choose your minor?
I chose my minor because I love how religion can be applied to numerous settings and how it can open doors for people to meet and learn from one another. I also find it intriguing how religion can be interpreted in many different ways and therefore offer much to us in everyday and scholarly discussions.
Would you recommend it to a future student? Why?
Yes, I would recommend both a psychology major and a religion minor. Regardless of whether or not you take them together, both pathways provide very broad educational experiences from which you can find many specific avenues of interest.
What are your future plans?
In the future, I hope to be a neuropsychologist conducting research on Alzheimer’s and dementia. Neuropsychology is currently a very small field and many more neuropsychologists will be needed as the older adult population rapidly increases.
Are there any particular experiences — in or out of the classroom — that have helped you identify that path?
Taking the Adult Development and Aging (PSYC-305) class really helped me narrow down what I hope my future career will be. Along with this, my research and in-class experiences in religion have helped me understand my responsibility to serve those around me.
Maia is a 2023 Ronald E. McNair Research Scholar. With her faculty mentor, Nicole Talarico, PhD, she is working on a project that focuses on ageism and how it affects perceptions of older adults in the health and fitness industry.