MA with ABA Spotlight

Emily Smith

Hometown: Haslett, MI

Program: MA with ABA

Book I would recommend: Falling by T.J. Newman.

It has a lot of bad reviews on Goodreads, but I truly loved the book. I love Psychological Thrillers, Horror/Terror, Biographies, and other books that have some type of reality based content that makes you really think. I don’t want to give too much away, but the book is about a pilot and his family. When he (the pilot) left for work, the internet/cable technician that was in the house revealed that he wasn’t a technician and instead he was going to hold them hostage and that the pilot (husband/father) had two choices. He could crash the plane and save his family or he could save the passengers of the airplane, including his coworkers who he’s extremely close with, but his family would be killed. I could barely put the book down and read it in two nights!

Favorite Quote: “Some people will tell you; you aren’t smart enough. Some people will tell you; you aren’t pretty enough. Some people will do everything they can in their power to bring you down and hold you back. But no matter how many ropes they use to restrain you, your shears need to be bigger, stronger, and more capable than any rope could ever be and if those shears break, it’s up to you to use your bare hands and rip yourself from those ropes and be the strong person that you know you are!” -Emily Smith

What would people be surprised to know about you? 

People would be surprised to know that I have a pet snake.

Name a cause you are passionate about.

There are two causes that I’m passionate about. The first cause is “Save The Turtles!” I am a big supporter of leave no trace, saying no to disposable plastics, consumption of seafood, and advocating to ban the sale of sea life body parts in souvenir shops (shark teeth, turtle shells, etc.) The second cause is the ACLU or American Civil Liberties Union. I am a huge supporter of alternatives to youth incarceration and believer that prison like settings for children do more harm than good and that alternatives that actually work to support and help the children grow, are more beneficial.

Why did you choose MSP?

I chose MSP because I found the smaller family like setting to be more attractive to me. I wanted more in depth, one-on-one experiences, and going to a large university wouldn’t give me those opportunities. I also found the message that MSP portrays to be more in line with my own views than other schools.

What do you want to do with your degree?

Towards the end of my Masters, I plan on applying to the PsyD program at MSP. After I get my Doctorate I would like to open up my own practice where I will work with children age 12+, as well as adults. I would also like to donate my time once a week to go into nearby Michigan prisons and/or Juvenile facilities to talk to young offenders and try to use my skills to rehabilitate them and at least be that person who they can talk to, so they don’t feel as lost or alone.

What are you most looking forward to about your program?

I’m most looking forward to learning more about psychology and learning about new methods and ways that I can master new skills, that way I can use my degrees to help others in need. I’m also looking forward to meeting new people that share the same interests that I do and creating relationships with and learning more from my professors and peers.