Achieving an ongoing balance among all of the elements that contribute to a robust and productive life is a skill that can be acquired through education and practice. Helping others find ways to integrate body, mind and spirit in healthy activities is an exciting and innovative career opportunity for many UMR students.
Making a difference in a key area of need, students who follow this Career Pathway might become:- addiction and recovery counselors
- child life specialists
- health and wellness coaches
- integrative medicine practitioners
- psychologists
- social workers
Featured Students
Degree: BSHS, Minor: Psychology
Breann Ahlman, ‘14
Current Employment: Mental Health Clinician, Fitzgerald Counseling Group
Hometown: Farmington, MN "My Capstone experience helped prepare me to get a better understanding of the connection between physical and mental health." Learn more about Breann's experience.
Degree: BSHS
Abby Cink, ‘17
Current Employment: Psychiatric Technician, PrairieCare
Hometown: Mason City, IA "These experiences taught me important lessons about leadership, adaptability and listening. I worked my senior year to expand how I thought about mental health and to work to educate others about mental health." Learn more about Abby's experience.
Degree: BSHS
Naomi Hazard, ‘18
Current Employment: Outpatient Therapist, Minnesota Mental Health Clinics
Hometown: South Saint Paul, MN "Every class surrounds health care, and I found learning from professors in smaller class sizes was important to my experiences and education." Learn more about Naomi's experience.
Degree: BSHS
Emily Jorgenson, '16
Current Employment: Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN "My Capstone was also based solely on experiences I was passionate about. After various personal experiences with addiction and mental health in my own life, I knew I wanted to make an impact larger than myself." Learn more about Emily's experience.
Tune into Emily's Beyond the Nest podcast episode.
Degree: BSHS
Sifa Mosiori, ‘17
Current Employment: Currently Pursuing Masters in Child and Adolescent Development at the University of Minnesota
Hometown: Brooklyn Park, MN "By exploring the mind, body and soul I was able to recognize my passion for psychology, and I’ve been able to explore that post graduation. Working in the mental health field, all those components of a person are important to understand how to help clients with their needs." Learn more about Sifa's experience.
Mason Schlief, ‘20
Degree: BSHS
Current Employment: Care Coordinator, Zumbro Valley Health Center
Hometown: Lowry, MN "I traveled to Thailand for three weeks where I was able to learn about other ways of life and how they are connected to the things in my soil. This provided me with a new idea on what I wanted to do upon graduation and led me to collaborating with a UMR faculty member regarding creative ways to address the issue of mental health." Learn more about Mason's experience.
Tune into Mason's Beyond the Nest podcast episode.
Kristi Tauer, ‘18
Degree: BSHS
Current Employment: Clinical Case Manager, AiRCare Health
Hometown: Prior Lake, MN "Through the Capstone process, I realized how expansive the health field is, and my strengths and passions fit into a career I previously did not know existed. I learned about the many areas of well-being, and how valuable individualized care can be. I fondly think back on my Capstone experience as the springboard into my future and the career I know I will love." Learn more about Kristi's experience.
Kristin Trettell, ‘18
Degree: BSHS
Current Employment: Pre-licensed Therapist at Lyn-Lake Psychotherapy & Wellness
Hometown: Anoka, MN "My Capstone allowed me to gain a new passion. Going into my Capstone, I was preparing to continue onto Physician Assistant school. I gained a sense of purpose and realization that counseling and therapy is what I am meant to do." Learn more about Kristin's experience.
Monica Ziebell, ‘19
Degree: BSHS
Current Employment: Alcohol and Drug Counselor, NUWAY
Hometown: Chaska, MN "My Capstone experience showed me the prevalence of co-occurring disorders which made me turn my attention to substance use disorders (SUD). Without understanding all parts of mental illness, addiction included, the revolving cycle cannot be stopped." Learn more about Monica's experience.
Tune into Monica's Beyond the Nest podcast episode.
Read more about UMR's featured Pathways students.
Students pursuing the Resilience, Well-being and Mental Health Pathway have engaged in meaningful experiences such as these listed below.
Current UMR students: reach out to your Student Success Coach for more information.
Prospective students: contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
Internships and volunteer opportunities allow you to gain valuable experience in a professional field. These opportunities help students develop marketable skills and competencies through hands-on experience, build a network of contacts and gain insight into a professional field. These experiences assist students in finding a career that aligns with personal and professional goals and passions.
- Fernbrook Family Center
- Mayo Clinic Generose Internships - UMR Program Promoted in the HUM Contemplation of Mental Health Using Creativity and Qualitative Analysis Course
- NAMI (volunteer and internship)
- Mayo Clinic Sleep Center
- Women's Shelter
- Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge
- Family Service Rochester: Family Access Center Volunteer
- Dorothy Day Hospitality House
- RT: Autism Awareness Foundation, Inc.
- Rochester Center for Autism
- Cardinal of Minnesota
- Hiawatha Homes
- Diversity Home Health Group
- Olmsted Friendship Place
- Catholic Charities of Southern MN Wellness Programs
- Rochester Art Center Rotational Exhibits
- Gift of Life Transplant House
You will have various opportunities for employment during your undergraduate studies. The organizations listed below are good places to explore employment opportunities.
As a student in health sciences, you will have many opportunities to participate in research. Below is a list of previous research experiences students in the Resilience, Well-being and Mental Health pathway have participated in.
On Campus:
|
Addiction in the Media |
Dr. Molly Dingel |
|
Social Movements |
Dr. Molly Dingel |
|
Research in empirical Bioethics of causes & perceptions of addiction |
Dr. Molly Dingel |
|
Women's health and health care disparities |
Dr. Marcia Nichols |
|
Qualitative study in women's health/body perception |
Dr. Marcia Nichols |
|
Understand anxiety disorder and the variety of treatments available |
Dr. James Winchip |
Visit the faculty directory for more.
There are other avenues to pursue this pathway, such as:
- LLC: Healthy Living Learning Community
- Student Groups
- To Write Love on Her Arms
- SASHA (Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Awareness)
- Student representation on Chancellor’s Committee to Prevent Sexual Misconduct
- Mental Health First Aid
- Winona State Social Work Weekly Gathering
