Graduate Student Alumni Spotlight

Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA

Student Name: Meagan Fischer

Program: Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Hometown: Houston, TX

Undergraduate Institution: UT Tyler

Graduation Year: 2016

Why did you choose to attend UT Tyler?

When attending high school, I was overwhelmed by the amount of options of institutions for college careers. Being from the suburbs of Houston, I grew up with most of the students I went to high school with. Needless to say, I wanted to venture out to a school that most students I already knew would not attend. However, I still wanted to be relatively close to my hometown and enroll in a university that had a smaller student body population.

Although I was very interested in going to Baylor University or Texas Christian University, I could not afford the tuition fees. My high school counselor encouraged me to check out UT Tyler's webpage. I had never heard of this university, so I was very curious to research information about the psychology department, campus, faculty, and student body population. I fell in love with the pictures online and the research faculty members had conducted. I was very intrigued, so I agreed to go to UT Tyler before even touring the campus. It was quite an adjustment at first being in a town where everyone knows everyone, but I would not trade this experience for anything. Attending undergraduate school and graduate school at UT Tyler has allowed me to find my own voice and realize how important it is not to be swayed by the "norm."

What are your career goals and how does your graduate program support them?

I aspire to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). I specifically want to work with individuals with eating disorders (EDs). I have known that I wanted to be a counselor since 8th grade after struggling through and being admitted inpatient for anorexia nervosa (AN). I first thought that graduate school would be more specific to the special areas of study, but I am beyond happy that UT Tyler trains students as general counselors. I have been able to work so far with individuals and groups.

What do you like most about UT Tyler?

I would have to say that the commitment of the counseling and psychology faculty is the greatest part about UT Tyler. On this journey to become a counselor, many students are terrified of not being good enough. Not only has the faculty mentored us professionally in what students will and are expected to know, but they have inspired each one of us on individual, unique, and personal levels. I have never felt like a number in my graduate courses.

Find out more about our Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling