Owatonna, Minn.
Psychology

Loves her on-campus job: Alicia works at Sunnyside Cafe (located in the Center for the Arts). She says, "It's really the perfect job because I enjoy making coffee, it has a wonderful, relaxed atmosphere, and the people are great to work with."

Plans to study abroad: Alicia will study in Malta during spring semester to learn about the nation's culture, politics, and religion. In 2009, she'll attend a conference in Australia to do a paper presentation with a fellow student.

Career goals: Hopes to earn a master's degree in social work, have her own counseling practice, and eventually teach at the college level.

When Alicia first came to Luther she was undecided about what she wanted to study, but she quickly came to a decision when she took her first general psychology course. "I always felt that psychology might be the right fit for me. Once I took the course, I realized how much I loved it."

Since then, Alicia admits to immersing herself in the subject. "I practically live in the psychology department," she says with a laugh. "What I love is that I feel like faculty members are interested in my future. I really appreciate that."

One of the cocurricular activities she enjoys is Active Minds. "We have a local chapter on campus that is part of a larger, national organization," she says. "Our goal is promote good mental health among students. For instance, during finals week we provide students with tea, coffee, and cookies. For Wellness Day, we offer massages. We want to help students reduce stress and be there if they need someone to talk with."

Alicia has also been involved in doing research while she's been at Luther. "One of the topics we examined was the association between forgiveness and physical health using a national sample of adults living in the United States," she says. "Results showed that unforgiving tendencies and problems were associated with approximately two times greater odds of experiencing fair or poor health. These findings suggest that being unforgiving may act as a risk factor for poor physical health," she says.

Alicia appreciates what she's learned at Luther and the fact that many of her friends come to her if they're feeling down or upset. "I like to listen and provide help," she says. But who does Alicia turn to? "I was raised in a Christian home and find that I count on my mom and prayer when I'm feeling down. My hope is that my profession will allow me to share my faith in God with people who are open to it."