Child Track Ambassadors
(Matthew) Tsz-Chun Chan
3rd Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: chan7530@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | Albion College, Albion, MI
Graduate Institution | Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA
Hometown | Hong Kong
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University due to its comprehensive child concentration and where Pacific is located. I have always known that I wanted to be a child psychologist since going to college. Through researching the different doctorate programs in the nation, I realized that Pacific is one of the few ones that offer a curriculum specifically tailored for folks who want to work with children specifically. On top of that, I really enjoy what the Pacific Northwest has to offer and with Pacific being located near Portland, I get everything that a mid-size city has to offer while enjoying the prettiness of Oregon. With that being said, it was a no-brainer when I was offered to be part of the program.
Favorite PsyD course | Assessment of Children: I feel like I’ve learned the most in this class simply because I had close to no experience administering psychological assessments before coming to Pacific and not only this class provided us with hands-on experience administering assessments specifically designed for children, but learning how to write better reports and become more competent in case conceptualization. I think this class really solidified my interest in doing assessments. Even though this course is only required for child folks, I do recommend that anyone who wants to become more confident in report writing take it.
Hobbies | I enjoy being active and I think that is part of the reason why I enjoy working with children. I do CrossFit and play basketball when I am not doing school work. I compete in local CrossFit competitions but enjoy friendly basketball runs with some of my friends. In order to fuel my body and mind for school, I also enjoy exploring different food spots around Portland or whenever I have time to travel to another city. The Pacific Northwest is known for having a ton of pretty hikes so I often try my best to get out whenever the weather allows us.
Parmida Behmardi
2nd Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: behm0213@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of California, Irvine, CA
Hometown | Mission Viejo, CA
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University because of the Child Emphasis. I want to work as a child psychologist in a hospital setting and Pacific can provide me with this opportunity. This school and the faculty were the best fit for me.
Favorite PsyD course | Clinical foundation 2: This course enhanced my ability to express empathy and engage with clients effectively. It left me feeling well-prepared to work with clients.
Hobbies | I find joy in watching my favorite shows while tackling puzzles. Exploring Oregon with friends is a favorite pastime, alongside indulging in reading, art, and music.
Shannon Cunningham
3rd Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: cunn7185@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of North Carolina Wilmington
Hometown | Cary, NC
Why I Chose Pacific | I chose Pacific because of its training model as well as its fit with both my clinical and research interests. I came into this program having a sense of what I wanted to do clinically; however, I appreciated the opportunity to explore other interest areas existed. I was worried that with other programs it felt like I needed to pick something and stick to it for the rest of my life but Pacific was going to provide opportunities to explore different interest areas and grow in a number of ways. Additionally, I strongly felt like the faculty, coursework, and training opportunities were going to support me in becoming a strong candidate and future psychologist. Lastly, I was excited by the opportunities that Portland and the Pacific Northwest, in general had. Being from the east coast I’d heard so much about the PNW and was really excited to have the chance to explore a new area and meet new people. With all that, Pacific has not only lived up to, but exceeded, my expectations and I feel like I’ve grown so much both personally and professionally throughout my time here.
Favorite PsyD Course | Psych Assessment and Management of Chronic Pain. This is a really difficult question for me to answer because I’ve really enjoyed so many of my classes. Psych Assessment and Management of Chronic Pain was such an important class for me because it helped solidify my interest in pediatric psychology. It was also an opportunity for me to engage with other emphases and professors and to hear different perspectives and experiences. It was also a class where we were able to learn and practice specific clinical skills. For me, it felt like a class that really integrated assessment, intervention, and theory. I’ve really enjoyed all of my classes so far and this course specifically has impacted everything that has come after it.
Hobbies | I really enjoy exploring the area, traveling, and seeing my family as often as I can. I work part time at doggie day camp which I love. I love animals and getting to meet so many new people so this has been an amazing opportunity for me to do both things. I’m really hoping to be able to take some day trips and explore the PNW over the next year. I also enjoy reading and getting outside as much as possible, especially when the sun is out. I don’t have any pets of my own so I love getting to spend time with my friends’ pets, dog sitting, and going on walks with them. My friends and I love to do game nights and movie nights as often as we can!
Megan Gamble
3rd Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: gamb8218@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Hometown | Malvern, PA
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University because of their child track. When I was searching for graduate programs, I knew that my goal was to be a psychologist for children and adolescents. Pacific University was one of the few PsyD programs that had a specific track and coursework for working with the child and adolescent population. After attending the Pacific interview day and speaking with different faculty and students, I knew that Pacific was the right program for me. It was a big decision for me to move across the country to attend Pacific and as I reflect on that decision now, I wouldn’t change it.
Favorite PsyD course | Assessment of Children: I really enjoyed this course because it provided me with the opportunity to learn about the nature of administering psychological assessments with children. Through this course I was encouraged to approach the assessment process in a way that explores who the client is beyond their diagnoses and growth edges. This class challenged me to improve my writing skills as well as increase my tolerance for discussing difficult topics with children and their caregivers.
Hobbies |When I am not working on my dissertation or other school work, I enjoy starting creative projects and then never finishing them. Lately, this has included polymer clay (trinket trays, ornaments, coasters), crochet (hats, scarves, and currently a hexagon cardigan), embroidery, and painting. In addition to crafting, I enjoy to experiment with different homemade bread recipes. I love to read and listen to audiobooks or podcasts. My favorite things to do in Portland are going to the Memory Den vintage market and hiking in Forest Park.
Kat Lewis
2nd Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: Lewi0239@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | University of Arizona
Hometown | Orange County, CA
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific University mainly because of the Child Track and the opportunities it would provide. When researching doctoral programs, I knew I wanted one where I would be able to specialize in working with children and families but still get the generalist foundation needed to be a well-rounded clinician in the future. After my interview with Dr. Miller I really felt like Pacific was the best match based on my clinical and research interests, as well as the practicum opportunities the program has available.
Favorite PsyD course | Child Psychopathology and Interviewing. This was the very first child and adolescent focused course we were able to take and it was a really great introduction to graduate coursework and how much it can differ from undergraduate courses. I took child psychopathology at the same time I was taking our basic clinical foundations class which was very nice to be able to learn certain concepts in that class and then immediately be able to apply them in terms of how they may relate to working with children and adolescents.
Hobbies | Like most people that move to the PNW I love hiking and getting out in nature whenever I can. I love to go adventuring and find new trails and sights to see. There’s so much that Oregon has to offer and I’ve only been able to explore a tiny bit of it all so far but I’m hoping to discover even more throughout my time here. Besides hiking I love watching movies, reading, and playing board games. The rainy days make for perfect movie watching weather for sure and I love getting together with my friends for a movie and board game/puzzle night! I also really enjoy listening to music, making playlists, and finding new bands to listen to (I’m always looking for recommendations)!
Ilisa Norman
1st Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: inorman@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate Institution | The University of Texas at Austin
Hometown | Dallas, TX
Why I chose Pacific | My career aspirations lined up perfectly with the training Pacific offers. I am studying to work with children in middle childhood with externalizing disorders like Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. Additionally, I aim to perform forensic assessments, and Pacific has several forensic practicum placement opportunities. Dr. Catherine Miller's insight, experience, and research drew me to this program and ultimately persuaded me to accept my offer. Dr. Miller is incredibly well-spoken and well-written in areas I want to gain expertise in. I am thrilled to learn from her and other knowledgeable faculty at Pacific.
Favorite PsyD course | Child Psychopathology & Interviewing: I loved jumping right into learning how to work with children clinically. Dr. Alyshia MacNab did an excellent job pushing us to ask questions to fuel our learning and deep understanding of the topics by struggling to find the answer. Her explanations of psychopathology and interviewing strategies gave me a solid foundation in my clinical and diagnostic skills.
Hobbies | I enjoy trivia, reading, hiking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest with my friends in my free time! My classmates and I go to trivia together and try new coffee shops every week. Portland is also a fantastic food city, which is excellent for people who like trying various cuisines. Portland is a great spot for people like me who enjoy the outdoors. On nice weekends, I take advantage of how close the coast and mountains are, often traveling an hour or two away from Portland to explore the gorgeous nature of the Pacific Northwest. There are also plenty of excellent hiking spots around Portland, especially along the Columbia River Gorge (with tons of waterfalls). I like to wind down at night with various literary fiction books and am constantly seeking new recommendations!
Joham Rais
3rd Year | PsyD Program | Child Track
Email: rais7586@pacificu.edu
Undergraduate | University of California San Diego
Hometown | Orange County, CA
Why I chose Pacific | I chose Pacific because it was one of the only PsyD programs with such a comprehensive child track. I knew that I mainly wanted to work with children and I knew that the Pacific child track would give me the curriculum and community practice that I needed to be a successful psychologist.
Favorite Course | Child Assessment & Lab. I think I have learned the most from this class. The professor and the work we did in this class have directly helped me in my community practicums and have given me the resources I need to be successful. This course also helped me fall in love with assessment and just learning about all the different evaluations we have was a really positive experience.