Mount Saint Mary College’s Social Sciences program serves as a pipeline to specialized career paths for graduates, ranging from behavior analysis and counseling to social work and education.
For Megan Doyle ’16, Kenneth Fusco ’14 MBA ’17, and Christina Mistretta ’19, a Social Sciences degree became the essential foundation for professional success in fields like Psychology and community service.
Doyle, a behavior analyst at Vital Behavior Services, is a consultant for school districts, providing specialized support for students and classroom management training for staff. She found her calling through the supportive faculty relationships the Mount is known for.
“I never would have known behavior analysis existed; that wasn’t an obvious career path for me,” Doyle noted. “But by talking to professors, I narrowed things down and understood how I could thrive in this kind of role.”
She credits much of her success to the guidance of her professors, who helped her to recognize her interests.
“I was one of those students who really liked psychology and education, but neither felt totally right,” she explained. “My professors helped me narrow that down and learn that my field even existed. Now I can’t imagine life without it.”
Similarly, Fusco found his love of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as a student at the Mount. He currently serves as a Behavior Consultant with Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism.
“By taking the Psychology of Autism course at the Mount, I definitely found where my niche was and that’s how I found applied behavior analysis,” he explained. “That really piqued my interest.”
For Mistretta, Social Sciences was a gateway to becoming an educator. Today, she works at St. Joseph Hill Academy High School as both a teacher and a retreat director.
“I use my Human Services degree in the fact that I have to care for students, and it taught me a lot – especially in the care of teenagers,” explained Mistretta.
Her professional experience, she noted, highlights how Social Sciences can be paired with multiple interests. As a student, she earned minors in Chemistry, Religion, and Biology, all of which she utilizes in her current role.
“I really get to use everything that the Mount taught me,” she said.
For those currently navigating their path in the Social Sciences, the alumni offered simple, but powerful, advice: explore your options at college while you have the opportunity.
“Trust the process,” Doyle advised. “When you’re in college, you’re so stressed to have all the answers right away. But trust the process, talk to your professors, make those relationships, ask the questions, get out there and try different things.”
Christina Mistretta echoed Doyle’s sentiment: “It’s okay not to know what you want to do. You don’t have to know it right out of the gate... exploring is the best thing you can do for yourself, and a place like the Mount lets you do that.”
Beyond the classroom, the Mount’s Center for Academic and Career Services (CACS) is often cited by Mount graduates for its powerful and practical tools to help shape their post-graduate portfolio. Doyle’s experience is a good example: “I went to the Center and I said, ‘Can you guys help me set up an internship?' and they said, ‘Absolutely.’”
Through CACS, Mount students have the opportunity to intern for local organizations, applying their specialized training in Psychology, Human Services, and Criminology to address critical community needs. Recent and current placements include Court Consultation Services (CCS), the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Dutchess County Office of Probation, the Newburgh Ministry, Adult Protective Services, the Maternal Infant Services Network, Bishop Dunn Memorial School, Pine Bush Schools, Cornwall Schools, Newburgh Head Start, and more.