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Posted: 4/09/20

TAMIU Graduate Student Accepted to Ph.D. Program in Counseling Psychology

 

Liabette Rodriguez
Liabette Rodriguez  

A Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) graduate student has recently been accepted to Texas A&M University’s Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology program.

Liabette Rodríguez, a third-year Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP) student, will begin her studies this Fall.

Upon the completion of her undergraduate coursework at TAMIU, she decided to enroll in the University’s MACP program, explained Rodríguez.

“I loved the close community TAMIU offers, the commitment to excellence, it’s student success support and seeing deer on my way to class. I was thrilled to find that I could continue my graduate education here,” said Rodríguez.

For Rodríguez, psychology brings light to what may be confusing and brings hope to individuals suffering from mental health issues.

During her time enrolled in the University’s MACP program, Rodríguez felt challenged as she not only saw herself as a student, but also as a researcher, counselor and facilitator. She often relied on the support of her family, fellow MACP cohort members and MACP faculty.

“The faculty are so invested in seeing you grow and succeed. My classmates were a source of support and joy. I was able to travel to Boston and Chicago to present research at national conferences. This program has molded me both personally and professionally into the strongest version of myself, and I will be forever grateful,” said Rodríguez. 

For Rodríguez, the support of faculty member Dr. Ediza García, assistant professor of Counseling Psychology and Rosabel Ramos, associate director at the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services, was pivotal.

“Much of my academic growth is due to Dr. García’s guidance and instruction. She directed me, showed me how to be resilient, and motivated me to pursue a doctoral degree,” said Rodríguez, “I would also like to sincerely thank Rosabel Ramos for being my counseling supervisor at the TAMIU Student Counseling Center. I want to acknowledge the level of excellence and the attention to detail she put into supervising me. I attribute much of my counseling skill to her investment in my progress.”

Rodríguez intends to continue her work in mental health literacy, hone her counseling skills and further the multicultural research done by Dr. Charles Ridley, professor of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University. After completing her Ph.D. program, she hopes to return to Laredo.

“After completing my Ph.D. at TAMU, I aspire to become a professor and psychologist. I would love to come back to Laredo and serve the community that is my home,” she said.

Individuals interested in pursuing a graduate studies program in Counseling Psychology can contact Dr. García via email at ediza.garcia@tamiu.eduor visit https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/psy/mastercounpsy/index.shtml.

Registration for Maymester, Summer and Fall semesters is currently underway online through Uconnect. For additional information on registration, contact the Office of the Registrar via phone at 956.326.2250, email registrar@tamiu.eduor visit their website at https://www.tamiu.edu/registrar/

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