Lauren Smith

Preceding my imminent graduation from Sam Houston State University in December of 2014, I intend to apply for Clinical Psychology programs at the graduate level with the objective of obtaining a terminal doctorate with a sub-specialization in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology. In the eight month interim between my graduation and anticipated admittance to grad school, I intend to continue work as a piano instructor and continue volunteering at my church and with an anti-sex trafficking group affiliated with Faithbridge Church. Once in graduate school, I will naturally work as a GTA or a GRA, but I intend to take on a second job that will supplement the stipend provided by the grad program, which will hopefully allow me to graduate with little-to-no debt. Post grad school, I intend to work as a school counselor to build up a clientele, and then, it is my ambition to open my own practice.

I intend to pursue a doctorate in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology.

My extracurricular interests are widely varied. From the age of 6 until I graduated high school, I took lessons in classical piano instruction. To this day, I enjoy songwriting and playing piano for personal enjoyment or in a manner beneficial to others (accompaniments, musical direction, in nursing homes, etc.). In addition to playing piano, I enjoy singing. I participated in several musicals, took a year of private instruction when I was 18-years-old, and since then, have been volunteering at my church in the worship ministry helping to vocally lead worship and direct rehearsals. As far as athletic pursuits go, when I was 15-years-old, I received my black belt in Tae Kwon Do through Young Brothers Tae Kwon Do under the instruction of Erik Scheurmann. Due to the stringent nature of my music instruction and academic pursuits, I chose to cease practicing Tae Kwon Do after I reached the level of First Dan. I also consider myself a voracious reader and am drawn to works by such authors as Khaled Hosseini, Gillian Flynn, Chris Cleave, Charlotte Bronte, John Steinbeck, Ann Rule, and Toni Morrison.