Sarah Blakely-McClure

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

I truly had an awesome experience as a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at UB. While there are many things I could list about what made my doctoral experience so great (such as classes or training opportunities), the most significant part of the program that shaped my experience was the mentorship model and mentor I worked with at UB. The atmosphere in my graduate program and with my mentor was incredibly supportive and I knew I was always able to ask questions or seek support when needed. I have created many important relationships with faculty and my peers over my time at UB and am still connected to this day.

I currently hold an Assistant Professor position (tenure track) at a liberal arts college and work in private practice as a licensed clinical psychologist. UB’s program prepared me incredibly well for both positions. My graduate program was challenging and rigorous and gave me well-rounded training to allow me to conduct my own research as well as providing me with the clinical skills I needed in practice. Moreover, something important to me was the training I received in teaching psychology. Having opportunities to teach (as a teaching assistant and instructor) while in graduate school helped me be competitive for the teaching-oriented jobs that I was interested in pursuing.

My advice to those interested in graduate study in Clinical Psychology at UB would be to ensure you are focusing on identifying the right fit for your research interests and clinical goals. You spend a long time in graduate school and you want to make sure you are diving into the research and clinical practice you want to be doing!”