Samuel “Vladi” Highland ’16 discovered a sense of purpose studying psychology at Clark University.

“I chose my major because psychology was already of interest to me, but once I started taking the seminars and research courses, I knew I had found my place,” the recent alumnus says.

Highland came to Clark because he found the student body interesting and engaging. While here he connected with the on-campus community as an undergraduate admissions ambassador and as captain of the men’s rowing team. Off-campus, he completed an internship at a men’s drug and alcohol recovery program during his sophomore year.

Academically, he developed connections with professors like Kathleen Palm Reed and Seana Moran that gave him the confidence to take the “right risks” for himself.

For him, those risks included completing an undergraduate honors thesis and applying to graduate school. He’s now a first-year student in Antioch University New England’s Psy.D. program in clinical psychology.

“The capacity to share a meaningful conversation based on intellectual curiosity made my entire experience that much more personal,” Highland says. “Clark helped me to make decisions on my own — whether it was what classes to take, what extracurricular activities I wanted to try, or research I wanted to explore — and offered me experiences that have undoubtedly shaped who I am today.”