09/08/2025
📣 Student Spotlight: Alyssa Polk
🎓 Honors College | Psychology Major
📍Intern at Community Re-entry program (UOP psychology department)
Meet Alyssa, a dedicated student in the Honors College at CSULA, majoring in Psychology. She is currently interning at the Community re-entry program (UOP psychology department), where her goal is to “empower individuals with meaningful skills, boost their confidence, and help them build a path toward long-term employment and stability.”
Alyssa also mentions how “As a psychology major planning to become a psychiatrist, this internship has given me valuable hands-on exposure to working with individuals who live with serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. Through leading groups on topics like anger management, coping skills, and medication education, I’ve grown more confident in my communication, empathy, and leadership skills.”
Inspiration for getting involved this summer:
“What inspired me to get involved this summer was my passion for mental health and my long term-goal of becoming a psychiatrist. I have always been drawn to understanding people’s minds and helping those who are often overlooked. I carry a lot of compassion and understanding, qualities that some people lack, which allow me to connect, support, and help these individuals that others may walk away from or think of as odd.”
Proudest moment this summer:
One thing she mentioned made her proud this summer was “when an individual told me I was going to be Doctor Polka Dot. My last name is Polk, and hearing that these individuals believe in me and truly feel a change and growth in my presence really made me proud. They have also told me that I was at the center for a reason, to heal and support these individuals to make change in our community. “
