Meet Madalynn McKenzie, MA in Industrial-Organizational Psychology student
As a first-generation college student, Madalynn McKenzie was determined to pursue a college education and persist to completion. After transferring to SIUE as an undergraduate from Lewis & Clark Community College, she had a conversation with a Psychology professor after class one day that changed her career trajectory. She changed her major from Biological Sciences to Psychology, and after graduation began pursuing her master's degree in SIUE's Industrial-Organizational Psychology program.
Madalynn has been deeply involved in student organizations, student government, and university committees during both her undergraduate and graduate years, with a focus on efforts that enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. She has received praise for her contributions as a Graduate Assistant to The Hub (formerly Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion), where she assists with planning and assessment efforts that advocate for historically marginalized student populations. Outside of her GA position, Madalynn has served as a student representative on many university committees, including the Anti-Racism Task Force, the Bias Incident Response Team, the University Diversity Council, and on search committees for both SIUE and SIU System diversity officers.
After completing her MA in I-O Psychology this May, Madalynn plans to pursue a career in assessment or the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her ultimate goal is to use her expertise, education, and experiences to be a champion of diversity.
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