Graduate profile: Haley Pratt

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CIF COM 1210 Graduate profile

By Desiree Williams

Haley Pratt, 26, is a 2011 graduate of Fishers High School. She lives in Noblesville, where she works as a school psychologist.

Q: What was your favorite subject in high school and why?

A: Science was always a favorite subject of mine, especially in the later years of high school when I was able to take more specific classes. I took everything from environmental science to microbiology to astronomy. Each scientific field lets you see the world from a different perspective.

Q: Who has been your most influential teacher throughout school and why?

A: My most influential teacher was Lisa Blamey. I was in her AP Language and Composition class, and she really pushed me to improve my writing. She put a lot of effort into giving her students helpful feedback. I still use the writing skills she taught me.

Q: Can you tell me about your collegiate experiences?

A: I attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and I majored in psychology with minors in Spanish and sociology. I was president of my sorority, Delta Gamma, and I was a teaching assistant for a psychology methods course. I was also a member of a bunch of other Greek-letter organizations: Phi Beta Kappa, Order of Omega, Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Lambda Delta. During my time at DePauw, I was able to work on different psychology research projects, spend a winter term in El Salvador, weld sculptures of protein molecules, write for the school’s literary magazine and co-write a musical about Krampus. I graduated in 2015.

Q: Why did you choose psychology?

A: I’d had an interest in psychology since taking a couple of psychology classes in high school. Once I started taking more psychology courses in college, I knew it was the field I wanted to study. I like the way that psychology blends quantitative and qualitative methods, and I love how many different career paths there are within psychology.

Q: What’s a “day in the life” like for a school psychologist?

A: Every day is different, and that’s part of what I like about my job. In the course of a day, I may meet with students, teachers and parents, work with students one-on-one and spend time in different classrooms. My primary role is to evaluate students who may need special education services and to help put a plan in place for them to be successful at school.

Q: Do you have any advice for younger students?

A: If you can, try to explore a wide range of subjects. I attended a liberal arts college, and I really value the opportunity I had to learn from people in so many different fields.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like the community to know about you?

A: I love to read. I’m usually something of a minimalist, but not when it comes to my book collection. I enjoy reading from a wide range of genres, and I read adult, young adult and middle grade books. I’m active on Goodreads and love seeing what others are reading.


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