Sheri Castro, Ph.D. Student Cognition and Development: School Psychology Major: B.A., Psychology, Stanford University; M.A., Education, UC Berkeley Career Plans: Working as a school psychologist in an urban elementary school or as a researcher in child development and psychology Home: Berkeley, CA

"This mix of research and practice in the School Psychology program has been invaluable; I have had the opportunity to keep 'one foot in and one foot out' of academia, so I feel as though I haven't disappeared into the Ivory Tower."

My reasons for choosing Berkeley:
I worked in Washington, D.C. for two years before I started to miss the weather and relaxed lifestyle of my home state. Having attended Stanford, I knew I loved the Bay Area - the great weather, the restaurants, the city attractions, the diversity. It truly is an inspiring, unique place, and accessible by public transportation, which was critical for me! When choosing graduate school, I looked for an institution that had a great reputation, offered the program I wanted (both an M.A. and Ph.D. in school psychology), and was public and affordable for a graduate student's lifestyle. Not only does Berkeley's public status make the tuition much less than at private universities, but you can also still apply for and be awarded great financial aid packages. Spending half a decade in a Ph.D. program is quite a sacrifice, emotionally and financially. I wanted to be in a wonderful place where I could actually afford the occasional dinner out, and I cringed at the thought of racking up loan debt in a 5+ year program.

My Academic Program:
School psychology is unique in that it is a professional Ph.D. degree, rather than solely academic. In addition to course work in psychology and child development, our program places students in internships for four of the five years we are here, so we are directly involved and connected with students in Bay Area schools. This mix of research and practice has been invaluable: it has helped me to keep a balanced perspective despite the program's rigorous research demands. More importantly, the local internships connect you with your community, so that you feel a part of both the school and local culture. At Berkeley I have had the opportunity to keep "one foot in and one foot out" of academia, so I feel as though I haven't disappeared into the Ivory Tower.

My Current Research:
Unlike other graduate programs, Berkeley's is ideal in that it gives you the freedom to choose and pursue your own area of research. Mine has focused on how students and teachers come to understand the concept of race and how they learn racial attitudes and prejudices in school and society. For my dissertation, I am examining how we assess whether diversity training is adequately preparing inner-city teachers to deal with racial and cultural issues in a direct and sensitive way. I recently finished a study where I created and pilot-tested a survey instrument designed to measure teachers' adherence to a "colorblind" perspective when teaching in racially diverse classrooms.

My Advice to Prospective Students:
Berkeley's graduate school is many things; exciting, at times stressful, frustrating, and also exhilarating. There will be moments when you will question why you are here and wonder if it's really worth it. As much as you can, prepare yourself to fully understand the sacrifices you will be making before you arrive, so that the adjustment from work to academia doesn't leave you disheartened. Undeniably, it is your fellow students that will pull you through any graduate program. Count on making invaluable, lifelong friends here at Berkeley. Students here seem more interested in you and your work than in competition, and the relaxed but focused GSE environment encourages this. Also, it helps to know ahead of time that Berkeley is not a hands-holding environment; you have to be assertive and direct your own course to become involved in the research you want to pursue.

 

 

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