Global Cultural Studies and Psychology Double Major Comes to Point Park from Hawaii Thursday, March 26, 2015
Meet Hana Valle
Majors: Global Cultural Studies and Psychology with a concentration in community psychology
Minor: French Studies
Hometown: Kihei, Hawaii
High school: Kihei Charter High School
Expected graduation: May 2016
College activities: Student Solidarity Organization, Confluence Psychology Alliance and Global Cultural Studies club
Hobbies/interests: Reading and writing novels
Why were you selected as a panelist and speaker for the Storytelling and Human Rights Symposium?
I thought the symposium went well. I was really impressed with the three other panelists. It's great to have the opportunity to talk about these big issues on campus. Not a lot of people are aware of marginalized voices in general.The organizer of the symposium wanted someone to talk about student rights and the marginalization of student voices. The Student Solidarity Organization at Point Park deals with those issues a lot. I was selected to speak since I am the head of SSO's student rights campaign.
What factors made you choose Point Park?
One of my friends in Hawaii told me about Point Park. He said I would probably enjoy the psychology program. I applied to several schools in the Northeast region and chose Point Park because it offered me the best scholarship. It worked out. I love Point Park.
Why did you decide to double major in psychology and global cultural studies?
I originally came into college wanting to be a novelist so I selected psychology to be able to better create characters and global cultural studies to better understand different cultures so I could write about those as well.
Now that I'm more into the programs, I can see that they really go hand-in-hand perfectly. The psychology program teaches more of a humanistic psychology, especially if you focus on community psychology. The lessons I've learned in both majors tend to overlap and are driven home in the different classes. I recommend double majoring in both of those programs because they go so well together.
Describe the professors in the Department of Humanities and Human Sciences.
They are very personable and all know you by name. Many of the professors in the HHS department will come and talk to you personally. I'm in mostly discussion-based classes so all of my professors give students many great opportunities to ask questions and think critically about what we are discussing. There is always a back and forth discussion. It's not just teachers talking at you. I'm amazed by how much my professors know about their subjects. It's impressive.
What are your career goals?
I would love to be a published author. That is definitely a dream of mine. Additionally, I'm interested in working with the community. I'd like to get a Ph.D. in community psychology and a law degree so I'm able to work in policy and law reform. Also, in the near future my plan is to visit Ireland.
Your final thoughts?
Point Park is a great university. With the SSO, I'm striving for students to have a bigger voice on campus through a student bill of rights. If there are issues we need to address, a student bill of rights will protect our ability to do that and promote our voices.
More About: global cultural studies, psychology