Meet our graduate students and alumni . . .
Cynthia Spering
Counseling Psychology
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Although I started college at Boston University as a studio arts major, I quickly changed my major to psychology after my first psychology class. Following graduation from Boston University with a B.A. in Psychology, I wanted to supplement my undergraduate training with experience in the field before pursuing graduate school. I worked in several settings, including a residential program for adolescents with special needs, an equine-assisted therapy program, and a government agency that provides services to the elderly. My decision to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology was solidified when working on an NIH-funded research study at a Harvard Medical School-affiliated research hospital, Hebrew SeniorLife, in Roslindale, MA. This particular position also sparked my interest in growth and well-being in later life, as well as my interest in neuropsychology. | |
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I applied to doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology across the country. The counseling psychology Ph.D. program at Texas Tech offered me the best balance of research and clinical therapy opportunities, along with generous funding. My primary advisor is Dr. Christine Robitschek. Dr. Robitschek does research on personal growth initiative, which is a person's intentional and active involvement in the self-change process. For my master's-thesis equivalent, I tested the validity of the Personal Growth Initiative Scale in an older adult population. I also work with Dr. Sid O'Bryant, a neuropsychologist who is employed in the Department of Neurology at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Currently, I am working with Dr. O'Bryant on several research projects, and also conducting neuropsychological testing through the Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium (TARC). |
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For my dissertation, I will be researching a somewhat unusual topic that combines several of my research interests: personal growth in Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, I am looking at whether personal growth might delay functional decline in Alzheimer's. I hope that this project will eventually lead to improvements in the lives of those with Alzheimer's, as well as their families. Over my years at Texas Tech, I have presented research at national conferences in Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and soon in New Orleans. In addition, I've published in peer-reviewed journals and co-authored an entry in a psychology encyclopedia. Texas Tech and the Lubbock community have provided generous financial support throughout my graduate career, including the AT&T Chancellor's Fellowship, scholarships through the Department of Psychology, and the Health and Social Services Fellowship through Covenant Medical Systems. My research was recently recognized through the Graduate Student Research Award in Counseling Psychology, given by the Department of Psychology to one student in each program per year. | |
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In additional to wonderful research experiences, I have had the chance to gain valuable and diverse clinical therapy and testing experiences. For example, I work at the Southwest Cancer Treatment and Research Center, where we provide counseling to patients diagnosed with cancer, as well as family and partners who are affected. I also work in a community mental health setting providing assessment and therapy to inpatient and outpatient populations, and in a rehabilitation/neuropsychological assessment setting. In the past, I was a therapist at the TTU Psychology Clinic and the TTU Student Counseling Center on campus. |
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After completing my fifth year at Texas Tech, I hope to complete an internship in a setting that extends my training experiences. In the future, I hope to work in a medical or hospital setting that allows time for patient contact and clinical research. The experiences and opportunities I have had at Texas Tech have been wonderful, and will leave me well prepared for future training and career settings. |
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