Experience is the best teacher for this psychology grad

Mathieson

For someone who recently completed her undergraduate degree in psychology, Lindsay Mathieson already has some impressive work experience on her résumé.

After her second year of study, the honours student worked as a research assistant in child and youth care with Dr. Marie Hoskins. That sparked an interest in adolescent psychology, and she joined Hoskins again last year to interview girls at B.C.'s Children's Hospital for a study on adolescent identity development and eating disorders.

"I see so many opportunities to make a difference," she says. "After speaking with the girls, we're now analysing those interviews. We'll present our findings at a conference in Memphis this summer."

Mathieson also worked with Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater and graduate student Erin Boone on her honours project, which examined how sports involvement can be a tool against depression in adolescents. "I'm interested in adolescent development and psychopathology, including depression," says Mathieson. "There are so many questions that need to be answered."

Over the course of her studies, Mathieson was assisted by several awards and scholarships, including a UVic Entrance Scholarship, the Walter D. Young Prize in Political Science, and the Hector William Hadland Scholarship in Psychology.

As a long-term goal, Mathieson hopes to work as a professor and plans to enter graduate school in September 2005. For now, she'll continue to work on projects with Drs. Hoskins and Leadbeater. She'll also keep up her out-of-school activities, which include volunteering as an in-school mentor through Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

"The girl I mentor is a pre-teen, and she's great," says Mathieson. "Mentoring is a way to get hands-on experience, to see how such practices help build self-esteem. You can read about it, but this is the real thing."