Abby Cink, ‘17

Why did you choose to come to UMR? I chose UMR because it offered classes geared toward health care and what I wanted to do. It also offered the one-on-one support through JustASK) and low student-to-teacher ratio that I wanted. I felt that I was part of a community.

What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? My Capstone experience focused on mental health and involved collaboration between the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and UMR to create a peer support mentor program; I was also co-president of an on-campus group To Write Love on Her Arms, and I worked at Mayo Clinic in the Center for Sleep Medicine. 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.

How did your Capstone experience prepare you for your future in what you’re currently doing? My Capstone experience was vital in teaching me important skills that I will use for the rest of my career. I am a more active listener and have gained leadership skills to work more effectively as a team and to be adaptable to what my team needs.

What are you currently doing? I work at a local agency as a psychiatric technician in an Intensive Outpatient Setting. I work with children and adolescents with mental illness and/or chemical dependency. I am also attending Saint Mary's University of Minnesota to obtain a Master of Arts degree in Counseling and Psychological Services. I hope to one day work as a therapist for children and adolescents with mental illness.