Alyssa Miville
PhD Student, Clinical Psychology
Coming from a low-income, single-parent household where I experienced significant housing and food insecurity, I looked to education as my ticket towards hope for the future. Through rigorous dedication and a commitment to my studies and service to others, I was able to forge my way through the economic struggle of being a college student by way of scholarships -- but navigating my undergraduate journey would not have been possible without the help of financial aid advisors and professors who knew of my determination to make things work. My passion for serving others and giving back to the community has only been strengthened since attending my undergraduate institution, and I chose to work in the nonprofit sector for two years following graduation. Despite loving what I was doing, I still had my heart set on attending graduate school someday, and after facing rejections from numerous schools over those few years, I was finally accepted into my current funded PhD program, which still feels very surreal! Being able to study what fascinates me most, that of the influence of religion and spirituality in the context of relationships, has been thrilling -- and I'm so excited to be in a position where I have the opportunity to share my voice and guide others in a multitude of ways. Outside of my work, some of the things that bring me joy include ballroom dancing, bullet journaling, drawing, and smoothies!