Staying connected with fellow alumni is critical to a successful job search, I/O and Business Psy.D. graduates were told at a networking reception in late March. More than 75 attended the event, which addressed the challenges of the current job market. Jointly sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, the Office of Career Services, and the Business Psychology Department, the event featured tips for maximizing an alumni career network:

• Keep your information up to date: This will ensure that you receive job notices, networking opportunities, and services from The Chicago School.
• Use the LinkedIn Chicago School Alumni Group to network with your peers, and find job leads.
• Check the class notes section on eGo (ego.thechicagoschool.edu) or the TCS Alumni group on Facebook to find out what your peers are up to; you may find people who have a shared work experience and can assist you in your job search.
• Attend TCS career-building and professional development programs—great places to gain insightful and helpful information and the ideal opportunity to network with successful alumni who can offer advice on how to achieve the same success.

Latrice Drain Alagbala (M.A. ‘08) joined The Chicago School staff as a graduate student advisor for the ExCEL Program, Industrial/ Organizational Track. Alagbala will be working primarily with I/O students, managing them through the Applied Research Project Process. Alagbala previously worked in the Financial Aid Office at TCS.

Sayaka Machizawa (Psy.D. ’05) and current students Jennifer Shultz, Ann Bukowski, and Jem Jones will be presenting their research at the 2009 APA Convention in Toronto. They have been conducting community-based research with Erie Neighborhood House, measuring the effectiveness of Erie House’s mentoring program on the psychosocial functioning of the youth and evaluating how the program impacts the youth’s self-esteem, motivation, sense of connectedness, and academic self-concept. The findings will be used for further improving the mentoring program to better support youth participants and facilitate their healthy self-concept and academic success. Dr. Machizawa is also the associate director of Community Partnerships at TCS.

Steven Nakisher (Psy.D. ’96) co-owns and operates Talbott Teas, a gourmet tea company. The companies’ teas were part of this year’s Oscar gift basket for award-winning Slumdog Millionaire. Talbott Teas is also the official tea for Trump Hotels, The Spa at Harpo Studios, and the Joffrey Ballet.

Emily Behrend (Psy.D. ’08) is now employed as a child psychologist at one of the largest community mental health centers in central Minnesota. Dr. Behrend provides individual and family therapy, administers psychological assessments, and is also involved in the therapeutic foster care program (helping to reunite children placed in foster care with their biological parents) and the adult day treatment program. She was also given the opportunity to present on play therapy to business owners in the community to secure funding for a play therapy room, in which she will be conducting filial play therapy sessions.

Marilisa Morea (M.A. ’05) is a postdoctoral fellow for The Chicago School’s Office of Clinical Services.

Ellen Ganley (M.A. ’07) is a new admission counselor for The Chicago School’s Online Campus.

Karen Reaves (M.A. ’07) successfully passed the North Carolina State Exam and National Examination to receive her professional license, Licensed Psychological Associate (11/2008). She was recruited and successfully passed professional training to become a hostage negotiator for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She also teaches psychology and criminal justice classes part time at a college in Chesapeake, Va.

Melissa Pecano-Jones (M.A. ’06) joined The Chicago School’s Online Campus as a graduate student advisor. She also joined the Alumni Council this fall.

David Duke (M.A. ’07) is the new associate director of advisement for the Online Campus. He joined the Online Campus in January of 2008 as its first advisor. David is responsible for revising the Applied Research Project process and creating support mechanisms for more than 350 fully online students.

Stephanie Agost (M.A. ’08) was named project manager for The Chicago School’s Forensic Center this past fall. She also recently joined the Alumni Council and is serving on the recruitment committee for the council.

David Miller (M.A. ‘05) joined the Alumni Council this winter and is serving on the recruitment committee.

New Job? Exciting News? We want to know! Submit a class note to keep your fellow alumni up to date on your latest accomplishments and exciting news. Class notes can be submitted online through our online community eGo or sent to Beth VanDyke, assistant director of alumni relations. Please include class note in the subject line of your email.