Kiara Exum is a first-year graduate student in the School Counseling program. She aspires to work with elementary and middle school students upon graduation and seeks to provide assistance and counseling for younger students on a personal level, mainly since their lives can be overshadowed by an intense focus on academics within the school setting.
This experience with the Helping Others Provide Empathy (HOPE) Lab will be her first within the realm of research. She reported first considering normal, developmental challenges older persons face in Dr. Shannonhouse’s Lifespan course, whereby Mary Chase Mize delivered a touching lecture regarding the aging population that motivated her to learn more about this group. Exum is excited about becoming more knowledgeable about older persons and equipped to promote life through research in the HOPE Lab, which aligns with her goals of counseling and helping others.
Overall, Exum is looking forward to working alongside Dr. Shannonhouse, Mary Chase Mize and her peers.
“I know that we will be making a difference within our community and eventually the country,” she said. “I am excited to learn as much as possible under the dedicated leadership of Dr. Shannonhouse.”
