A student’s journey at Mount Saint Mary College is defined by more than just textbooks and exams – it’s shaped by the community and the personal connections formed on campus.
For Megan Doyle, Class of 2016, that environment provided the perfect space to explore her interests and discover a great career path she hadn’t originally considered.
Doyle, who majored in the Social Sciences, has spent her post-collegiate life dedicated to supporting others. She currently works as a Behavior Analyst for Vital Behavior Services, an organization she first joined through an internship while still at the Mount. In her current role, she serves as a consultant for school districts, helping educators support students and teaching staff about classroom management and specific psychology training.
She credits the supportive nature of the Mount community with helping her build the confidence necessary for professional life. She was highly involved on campus, serving as an RA and participating in student government, which helped her feel integrated into campus life.
“The Mount was such a great environment to set up for success,” Doyle noted. “I got to feel confident with my professors, to ask questions, have those close relationships.”
Those faculty members were vital to her success, she said. Doyle recalls that her path wasn’t immediately obvious, and it was the guidance of her professors that helped her bridge her interests in psychology and education into a specific profession. She particularly remembers the influence of Psychology Professors Larry Force and Paul Schwartz, noting how their different schools of thought on psychology sparked her own interest in the field.
“I never would have known behavior analysis existed,” Doyle explains. “But it was by talking to professors here that I narrowed it down.”
The Mount’s support extended beyond the classroom and into practical career preparation. Doyle took initiative in her career search, but she relied on the college’s resources to bridge the gap. After researching Vital Behavior Services, she worked with the college’s Center for Academic and Career Services to establish an internship program that didn’t yet exist.
“I said that I did some research and this agency looked really cool, and I asked if they could help me set up an internship,” she explained.
The answer was “yes.”
For current students, Doyle offers a perspective rooted in her own experience of discovery: “Trust the process,” she said. “Trust the process, talk to your professors, make those relationships, ask those important questions, get out there, and try. If you feel like something might not be the right fit, that’s okay. Give yourself those opportunities and experience.”