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Alyssa Chapman Adorati

Applied Educational Psychology

Alyssa is currently seeking her MS in educational psychology with a concentration in the Applied Educational Psychology program. Originally from Knoxville, TN she received her BS in psychology from UT Knoxville and joined EPC in 2014. We asked her to reflect on some past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Awards
  • Selected to join Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society
Accomplishments

I am one class away from completing my Master’s course work in Educational Psychology and achieving my own personal goal of attaining straight A’s throughout the program.

Current Occupation

Accounting Specialist
Treasurer’s Department
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

I currently work as an Accounting Specialist working with biweekly payroll for the Treasurer’s department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Personal Interests

I love spending time with my husband and our very large family. Reading is my favorite pastime. I love to travel and explore new places, and I hope to be able to do more traveling once I am done with school. After graduation, I plan on devoting my time learning Spanish, my husband’s native language and dabbling in creative writing.

Future/Vocational Goals

I would love to continue working for the university as an academic advisor, specifically working with first year freshmen. I am also passionate about working with low-income adolescents. I would love to be an advocate for kids who have never had anyone tell them that they can succeed in college. If I have learned anything from this program, it is that self-efficacy and motivation are two pivotal factors that drive success, and I want to help kids and young adults learn how to learn and achieve their goals.

What sold you on this program?

I was sold on this online master’s program the second I reached out to Cathy Hammon (program coordinator) and we had our first conversation about the specifics of the program. I did not think it was possible to develop such personal relationships with others in an online setting, but I have made so many friends and connections by becoming part of this learning community.

What would you tell an incoming student who joins the program?

I would tell any incoming student joining the program or department that EPC’s faculty and staff members genuinely want you to succeed and are always available to answer any questions or concerns. I would also tell incoming students to not be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved. Not everyone may have the opportunity to be local in an online program, but for those who are local, I have found that attending orientations, dissertation defenses, or other events hosted by the department are a great way to meet people.