Alicia Yee Ibaraki '08, Assistant Professor at Western Oregon University

"I'm a clinical psychologist that focuses on understanding how cultural variables impact mental health outcomes among ethnic minority populations. I'm currently working as an assistant professor of psychological sciences as Western Oregon University (WOU). My time at Pomona prepared me well for my current position in a number of ways. Not only did I gain the foundational research skills I needed to be successful in graduate school, but more importantly, I benefited from and truly came to understand of the transformational power of mentorship that occurs when faculty members work with undergraduate students. I was fortunate to study with Professor Richard Lewis and Sharon Goto in their cultural neuroscience lab. That experience helped spark a curiosity and purpose that shapes my research today. I wanted to work at WOU because like Pomona, WOU prioritizes undergraduate education and allows me to collaborate closely with undergraduate students in my work. It's really fun and rewarding to continue to be a part of that experience, and to try to spark that curiosity in someone else."