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Children and Society Archived Student Profiles

Name: Ivonne Estrella
BDP: Children and Society
Major: Psychology and Linguistics

Why did you apply to the Children and Society BDP?

I chose to apply to the Children and Society BDP because I am interested in developing a career in psychology with a focus on children. The BDP has different strands that include courses of great interest to me and that will benefit me in the future.

What have you done for your connecting experiences?

For my first connecting experience in the Children’s Research Lab with Dr. Catherine Echols, I was able to learn the process of developing and running a research experiment. In my second connecting experience, which took place in Mexico, I had the opportunity to take Spanish classes, interact with psychology professors, observe how a psychotherapy center works, be an intern at Mexican schools, and talk to educators. My horizons were broadened, and I learned so much from going to another country and living there. I was exposed to the culture in Mexico, the children, and the education system. I only knew so much from books, but with this experience I was able to experience it on my own.

How have the BDPs helped shape your plans for the future?

Through my BDP I was able to go on a Maymester, part of my connecting experience, which helped increase my knowledge about second language acquisition. In this Maymester, I was able to meet different psychology professors in Mexico, and I was also able to interact with children from a different culture. I’m interested in working with children coming from a Mexican background in the future. With this experience, I was able to expand my knowledge about their culture, beliefs, school, and family environment, along with problems children in Mexico face.