Bridgewater College has partnered with the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) and the Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, Va., to award $10,000 scholarships to three master of science in psychology (MSPsy) graduate students from the class of 2024: Kiana Carter, Jillian Laub and Briana Roach.
As a condition of acceptance, the students commit to one year of employment at Inova Loudoun Hospital following their graduation. Dr. Jeff Pierson, Dean of Graduate and Special Programs at Bridgewater, noted that $10,000 a year for a master’s program that can be completed in one year instead of two, as well as the condition of only one year of post-graduate employment, makes this scholarship program unique and extremely beneficial for the recipients. “I’m very excited about the opportunities we can offer to MSPsy students through this scholarship,” he says.
A biology major with a minor in psychology as an undergraduate at BC, Briana Roach ’23, M’24 says, “My favorite part of this scholarship is having a job secured in a hospital directly following my completion of the program.” She says she is “eager to learn from experience” and passionate about working with clients in behavioral healthcare, both during her program internship and after graduation.
Jillian Laub M’24 came to Bridgewater after earning her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences with a minor in neuroscience from the University of Mary Washington. She says the scholarship will give her freedom to fully focus on her studies without worrying about paying for her program or finding a job after.
Kiana Carter ’23, M’24, majored in psychology for her undergraduate degree from Bridgewater. She says that she has become passionate about mental, emotional and behavioral health and that both the MSPsy program and the scholarship are facilitating her goal of becoming a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), who works in a hospital setting and treats a variety of individuals.
Dr. Alan Eby, Professor of Psychology and MSPsy Program Director, says Bridgewater’s program is tailor-made to prepare graduates for existing needs in the behavioral health career field. Graduates who become Qualified Mental Health Professionals in Virginia are well equipped for a variety of jobs in community mental health, including jobs like the ones these students will go into at Inova Loudoun Hospital.
— By Olivia Shifflett
