Earning a bachelor’s degree at Olivet Nazarene University can be the first step into a life filled with promise and success. Many students take the next step of earning a master’s or doctorate degree while others head straight into a job to start their careers.
Olivet The Magazine recently spoke with six outstanding young alumni who are continuing to pursue a higher purpose as they build on the experiences of their higher education.
Tate Walters ’23
Major: Psychology; Minor: English
Master of Arts/Educational Specialist, School of Psychology, Lewis & Clark College
Like many college students, Tate Walters knew that he wanted to attend graduate school. He just wasn’t sure what he would study.
“As a freshman, I thought I might want to go to law school,” he says. “However, as time went on, I felt called more towards the field of psychology. Through many meetings and classes with Dr. John Adams, I refined that interest even more to be school psychology. Dr. Lisa Gassin and Dr. Kristian Veit were also incredibly supportive and helpful as mentors throughout this process, especially through the supervised practicum class. I was able to work under a local school counselor and get valuable experience in a school environment.”
When Tate considered graduate school options, Lewis & Clark College stood out for its emphasis on counseling, unlike the majority of psychology programs which focus on testing and statistics. He also found that professors were involved in the application and interview processes and the cohort sizes were very small, indicating that the students receive personal, face-to-face time with the professors. Although Oregon is rather far from Tate’s hometown in Iowa, he chose to take a leap, move west and embrace new academic adventures.
“My experience at Olivet was essential to realizing my passion for the field of school psychology, and my positive relationships with professors helped me to realize how encouraging it is to have good mentors in my life,” Tate says. “Through school psychology, I would love to be able to provide that same support and mentorship to other students that my mentors given me.”
From Olivet The Magazine, Strength & Hope – Autumn 2023. Read the full issue HERE.
