No Regrets: Psychology & Philosophy Grad Nicole Hoffman ’09

When Nicole Hoffman, ’09, looks back on her academic career as a student at Converse, she won’t have any regrets, at least not when she thinks about her experiences in the psychology department, where she spent many days conducting research through her directed independent studies’ projects or concentrating on lectures presented by faculty members she admired and respected. “Each of my professors has played a vital role in my studies, goals, and accomplishments,” Hoffman says. “Dr. McCoy dedicated the most time to me as a student since I worked on two directed independent studies with her and she has also been there for me whenever I needed advice.”

“Students should take advantage of the opportunities to do research and utilize the fact that this is such a small campus. The professors really get to know you as an individual and not just as another student.”

Nicole Hoffman ’09

While seeking a major in psychology and a minor in philosophy, Hoffman enjoyed attending research conferences, funded by the Nisbet Honors Program and worked closely with professors, an opportunity she believes would not have been as easy to obtain at a larger school. “Students should take advantage of the opportunities to do research and utilize the fact that this is such a small campus that the professors really do get to know you as an individual and not just as another student.”

In her senior year, Hoffman earned a spot in the Masters in Counseling Program at Arizona State University. She was one of thirty students to be accepted, out of a wide range of applicants. She aspires to become a therapist and would like to obtain a Ph.D. in the future, utilizing the degree in either the teaching field or in private practice. She knows, however, that she would not have been able to achieve her goals without the support of the department.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better psychology department than the one at Converse College,” Hoffman says. “The psychology department has done an amazing job of over-preparing me for the next step in my life.”