Psychology, CJ Double Major Headed to Graduate School to Study Leadership and Administration

Senior Scout McBride, a Criminal Justice and Psychology double major, completed her degree in December and will attend Boston College for an M.S. in Leadership and Administration this fall. At RWU, McBride, of Wareham, Mass., was the Vice President of Alpha Chi Honor Society, a member of Best Buddies, and a peer mentor. She is currently working as a research assistant at Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I.

On Powerful Combinations: "Pairing Psychology with Criminal Justice has given me a competitive edge during my internships. When I worked at the Norfolk Sheriff's Department Correctional Facility, I worked with the criminal justice population and incorporated my Psychology education as I worked with people dealing with substance use; the combination of both disciplines helped me in that position. Now, at Miriam Hospital, I work for the head of HIV research, and I am currently researching and enrolling participants in a survey assessing persons with HIV and their access to dental and mental health care."

On Industry Connections: "I was Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Beck Strah's research assistant my sophomore year, and we worked on a podcast together. He recommended me to the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office because he used to work there. I got an internship with them doing research for their Stimulant Program unit. After my internship, I got hired as a research assistant full-time to work on a research study."

On Pivotal Courses: "After my master's, I want to work in human resources management. Having a background in criminal justice is super helpful in any field. My Industrial and Organizational Psychology course at RWU drew me to HR originally. I had been working at the correctional facility for a while when I took the course, and it opened a new realm of psychology. It made me realize I wanted a more professional environment while still incorporating my Psychology degree. My Criminal Justice degree will come in handy because I understand rights and how things work legally - that's helpful in every field of course, but especially in HR management."