I am a senior psychology major with minors in counseling and sociology. The psychology department requires students to work on a research team as Research Assistants under the guidance of a professor. My responsibilities include assisting the professor in carrying out research in her area of expertise and learning how to apply the research techniques I have acquired in my classes to a tangible, ongoing topic being studied. Through the Summer Scholars program, I have been able to utilize what I have learned through my experience conducting hands-on research under the supervision of a professor, and apply these skills as a primary investigator. 

Additionally, I work closely with another professor in the psychology department as a Laboratory Assistant. Incoming psychology students are required to participate in a lecture-style class that introduces them to psychology and its major areas, the psychology curriculum at Ithaca College, the professors in the department, and basic research techniques used within the field of psychology. To ensure a hands-on learning experience, students attend labs outside of the lecture. Each lab has about ten students and is taught by a Laboratory Assistant. It is my responsibility to ensure that my students are knowledgeable about basic American Psychological Association (APA) style as well as some basic research techniques (collecting and analyzing data, writing up results, etc.).

I have a personal investment in ALS, especially in regards to caregiver burden and support for children, as my father was diagnosed with the disease when I was a sophomore in high school. My mother and I acted as his primary caregivers for the two years he lived with the disease. As a teenager, I knew I needed support throughout and after my family's experience with this disease, but felt as though I had no resources utilize. Not being able to understand or recognize the effects of the psychological distress I was feeling only served to perpetuate the hardship of becoming a caregiver (and all of the responsibilities involved within the role) along with my own process of grieving and healing. Because I did not feel as though I had the resources to adequately assess my own needs, I was unsure about how to approach getting support. Additionally, because I am from a small town and ALS is not as common as other debilitating diseases, there were no known support groups around me. Support groups of this nature would have been the first place I turned to for solace. My lack of communication with others who could empathize and share in my experience coupled with my muddled understanding of my own emotions in the first place left me feeling very isolated. I feel like these factors prolonged my process of grieving and stood in the way of my path towards healing. 

My interest in research and my awareness of a need that is not being met in a population that I care about, and belong to, drove me to carry out this research.