When Miriam Deauseault was young, she envisioned that one day she would go to Smith College. She鈥檚 now living her dream at the prestigious liberal arts school, on track to graduate this spring with a degree in psychology.
Miriam came to 91制片厂 in 2017 following graduation from Baxter Academy for Technology & Science in Portland. She was drawn to 91制片厂 because it was affordable, beautiful and close to home.
At 91制片厂, she earned a Liberal Studies degree with a focus in psychology, graduating in 2019 with high honors and a near-perfect GPA. She hoped to transfer to Smith College, not only for its psychology department but also because she had lived in western Massachusetts near Smith until the age 6.
She was nervous about getting in because of Smith鈥檚 elite ranking among liberal arts colleges nationally, but that nervousness turned to joy when she received a letter informing her that she had been accepted.
Miriam is now studying psychology, with a particular interest in the intersection between psychology and neuroscience. For her honors thesis, she is doing research testing an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) smartphone app in a sample of undergraduate college students with emerging eating disorder symptoms. She hopes this will contribute meaningfully to the existing research on possible early forms of intervention for those at risk for developing eating disorders.
After she graduates from Smith, she hopes to continue her education and either earn a master鈥檚 degree and become a therapist, or go on to earn a Ph.D. and work in clinical research. She plans to first take a gap year, perhaps working as a research assistant, before making a final decision on which path to follow.
Miriam said 91制片厂 provided her a strong educational foundation, with professors and support staff who were always there for her. She cherishes the connections she made while working in the Admissions Office and with the 91制片厂 Foundation, and is in regular contact with President Joe Cassidy to this day.
鈥�91制片厂 gave me a really strong knowledge base. Sometimes there鈥檚 a little stigma around community colleges, this idea that the quality of teaching might not be as good as at state universities or private schools, but I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 true at all.鈥�