Whitworth University Psychology Department

Alumni Achievements

Bethany Harmon, '08

Major: Psychology

Current Position: Harmon recently returned from two years in Guatemala as a municipal health coordinator with the Peace Corps. She is now in the M.S./Ph.D. program in human development and family sciences at Oregon State University, with a focus on civic engagement, trust and family structure.

Why Whitworth? "I chose Whitworth because of the strong sense of community, the close relationships between students and faculty, and the emphasis on leadership through service."

Whitworth Activities: Served as student coordinator for the Westminster Homework Helpers, which takes Whitworth students to a low-income area in Spokane to mentor at-risk elementary students; played intramural ultimate Frisbee and soccer; participated in Psi Chi psychology honor society; and worked in the library.

Quote: "Every day I think of new ways that the faculty structured classes in ways that promoted critical thinking and general academic skills for graduate school. The study-abroad programs, independent study options, research opportunities, and service and community engagement also allowed me to gain a breadth and depth of knowledge that has shaped the career options available to me now."

Influential Whitworth Professor: "Dr. Noel Wescombe goes out of his way to help his students succeed, to encourage them to thoughtfully consider what they can do with their psychology degrees, and to give them guidance. He motivated me to consider graduate school for the first time, and that has significantly changed the trajectory of my life."

Career Goal: "I am working toward becoming a researcher, possibly in policy analysis, or toward teaching and conducting research at a university."

Here's what some other recent Whitworth graduates are doing with their psychology degrees:

Erin Arner, '11, is working as a high-needs behavioral health case manager for children, in Phoenix, Ariz.

Stacey (Webber) Villanueva, '07, published two short reports as a result of her work at the Washington State University Spokane Sleep Lab. She is now pursuing her Ph.D. at Virginia Beach Regent University.

Emily Miller, '11, is the marketing coordinator for the Chicago Center for Urban Life & Culture, where she designs, develops and produces marketing materials for educational programs.

Amber Kraft, '10, is working at an orphanage in Bolivia through Find Your Mission.

Rachel Frazier, '04, earned her J.D. and a master's in public health from Harvard; she now works for both the Whitman Walker Clinic and the National Senior Citizens Law Center, in Washington, D.C.

Jamie Kneese, '08, is a skills coach at Daybreak Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center, in Spokane.

Tyler Hamilton, '10, is working for Teach for America in New York.

Melissa Garner, '09, is earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Seattle Pacific University.

Amy (Glover) Membrere, '05, is working as a therapist at the S'Klallam Tribe Wellness Center, in Port Gamble, Wash.

Amanda Tufts, '10, is studying at Lewis & Clark Law School, in Portland, Ore.

Pat Luss, '05, is a juvenile care counselor for Benton County, Wash.

Christina Wiese, '11, is studying school psychology and working as a graduate assistant at Eastern Washington University. After graduation she will be a nationally certified school psychologist.