Tiana Tocco

What was your first step after undergraduate graduation & how did it impact your career path?

I graduated in December and went straight into Graduate School for my Masters in Counseling and it greatly impacted my career path by allowing me to get started immediately in pursuing my career of becoming a School Counselor.

What are you doing today?

I am currently a Transformation Specialist for Onboarding for General Motors.

How do you use your psychology undergraduate experience in your work?

I obtained a position as a graduate assistant in which I am career counseling freshman and undecided/re-deciding students. A large portion of what I do is administering and interpreting assessments such as the MBTI (which I had learned about its importance in the workplace through Organization Psychology at U of M) and the Strong Interest Inventory. In regards to the actual counseling portion, I feel my strength lies in the education I received from U of M's Psychology Department. I have a better understanding of the theories used and the issues that can be present in students due to the foundation of knowledge built at U of M.

What inspired you to enter that field/job/profession? What excites you most about the future of your profession?

I have always loved working with kids of all ages and through taking several of the psychology classes offered in the department, I was especially drawn to Social Psych, Developmental, and Abnormal. Later, through a job shadowing experience, I solidified my decision to pursue school counseling because I loved the combination of the three psychology fields that are enmeshed in school counseling as well as the opportunity to work with kids.

As a future high school counselor, I am extremely enthusiastic about becoming a resource to students in all aspects of their education. I hope to be able to help them through difficult times, assist them in planning their education/career path beyond high school, as well as being an advocate for mass education about bullying because social media is taking bullying to the extremes and is an issue that needs to be adequately addressed in schools.

What advice do you have for students getting a degree in the UM Psychology Department or considering your profession?

For any students getting a degree in the UM Psychology Department, I would highly recommend diversifying your course load. UM offers so many amazing courses that some students at other schools have never even heard of and it is to your extreme benefit to utilize the diversity UM offers as a whole, as well as in the Psychology Department. As for those considering School Counseling, I would recommend to follow through with your passion: regardless of the school job market. If it is something you're truly passionate about, it will emanate through your answers in your interviews and put you at the top of the list; as well as having an education from "The Leaders and The Best." Forever & always, Go Blue!

What was your favorite experience while studying in the UM Psychology Department?

Working as a peer advisor in Psych 308; getting to help students see why the Psychology Department would be a great fit for them as well as showing them how to explore their options after they graduate