Double major leads CSUF first-gen grad to clinical psychology
Kiara Velasquez knew as a high school student that she wanted to study criminal justice in college, and she entered CSUF as a freshman in 2017 with that intent. Crime scene investigation seemed to be calling her name.
Four years later, Velasquez will graduate this month with a double major in criminal justice and psychology. After taking a number of classes within the school’s criminal justice program, as well as general education classes in psychology, her path as a Titan has taken a bit of a turn. She realized that combining these two areas would open a world of fascinating job paths that seemed to best align with her true interests.
So, with the assistance of her professors, she added the double major, mapped it out and was still able to complete both degrees within a four-year time period.
“It was with the encouragement and help from my professors that I switched that career path and added that double major,” Velasquez said.
That new career path for Velasquez means becoming a clinical psychologist who works specifically with the offending population, those who are incarcerated in federal prisons. Her next step keeps the Anaheim resident in the Titan family, as she will begin the university’s master’s program in clinical psychology next fall.
“The end goal is to become a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California, and the (CSUF) master’s program is definitely going to be that stepping stone to help me get there,” Velasquez said.
Graduate work was the last thing on the Cypress High School graduate’s mind when she began her college search as a senior more than four years ago. With her older sister choosing to enter the Navy, Velasquez is the first in her family to attend and graduate college, and that meant she had to be proactive in seeking out resources to help her through the college application process.
“Just getting to undergrad was a challenge in itself being first-gen,” Velasquez said. “But my family is super supportive. They always wanted us to aim for more and never settle for less. That’s something that I’ve always admired about them.”
As multiple college acceptances came in, Velasquez had a choice to make. She knew she wanted that traditional four-year college path, but was unsure where she would land. A campus tour of CSUF made her choice an easy one.
“When I stepped foot onto Cal State Fullerton, something about it just made it feel like home,” Velasquez said. “It didn’t feel scary. The transition didn’t feel like it would be too rough. It just felt right.”
As one who likes to be challenged, Velasquez thrived at CSUF under professors who expect that level of effort from their students. Her interactions with Alissa Ackerman, assistant professor of criminal justice, taught her some valuable lessons and shaped her current career path.
“She taught … us the flaws of our criminal justice system, what needs to be changed and that we are the generation to make those changes,” Velasquez said. “We have to continue treating everyone with empathy and compassion, regardless of mistakes. She taught us that those incarcerated are no different and are still human.”
Additionally, learning from Aaron Goetz, associate professor of psychology, allowed Velasquez to connect her love for criminal justice to her interest in psychology. She benefited from working as his course assistant and participating on his research team.
“He pushed me and helped me develop my love for research and what I want to research when I get to graduate school,” Velasquez said.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and CSUF transitioned to distance learning, Velasquez was concerned that much of what she envisioned for her senior year would not come to fruition. She had never taken online classes before and felt her goal of graduating with honors might be in jeopardy.
But the challenge actually lit a flame under Velasquez, pushing her to work harder than she ever had, resulting in the best grades she had recorded to date.
“I learned a lot about myself and what I can do,” Velasquez said. “The professors were there every step of the way, so it made the transition very easy with the support of the university. Having my family around a lot more was amazing as well.”
As graduation and the culmination of this four-year path becomes a reality, Velasquez admits that the enormity of the accomplishment has yet to fully sink in. But the completion of this significant milestone reminds her of true motivation — her 9-year-old brother, Malekie.
“It’s always been for my little brother,” Velasquez said. “I hope I can use my accomplishments to help him so that when he gets to this point in his life, he will have the support and guidance that I didn’t have and he can also be successful. If his sister can do it, he can too.”
This post first appeared on ocregister.com
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