By Bianca Dinkha
Lauryn Bergert was a passionate Dominican student; now she’s on the other side of the classroom as an adjunct psychology professor.
The alumna shares her experience as a professor, her enthusiasm for clinical psychology and her work for social justice and activism.
“Dominican is my second home,” Bergert said. “I did not know if I was going to teach, but if I did, it was probably going to be at Dominican. It’s home, it’s where I got my start and where I found my passion in the psychology department.”
“I wanted to be able to come back and meet the next generation of the psychology field and give back and start my teaching experience,” she added.
Bergert expressed her excitement for teaching child and family clinical psychology this semester. She described how different it is to step into the shoes of a professor.
She saw her teaching experience as a learning opportunity that took her out of her comfort zone and taught her new things about herself.
“I am loving it so far,” she said. “I think Dominican students are the best. We have the most creative students at our university. I am teaching them, but I am also learning so much from them as well.”
While attending Dominican, Bergert was an active member of the Black Student Union, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs (NACWC), and one of the creators of the Center for Cultural Liberation (CCL).
“I was so loud when I was at Dominican,” Bergert said. “I was very loud but wasn’t afraid to speak my mind. The CCL was one of my proudest moments at Dominican. Just being able to advocate for space and students of color was one of my biggest accomplishments. It’s a forever space now that will always be there.”
The diligent professor is currently enrolled in a five-year program at Roosevelt University, working on a doctorate in clinical psychology. Her days are full of teaching, psychological testing, attending classes, working on her dissertation, and ADHD coaching.
Her passion for psychology derives from the complexity of the field, whether that is therapy work or brain development. Bergert loves it all.
“The one thing I really love about it is that I am constantly learning,” she said. “Each day, when I’m taking my graduate level classes, teaching, or doing an internship, I feel like I’m learning something new every single day. It keeps me on my toes and allows me to be a lifelong learner.”
Bergert said she hopes to continue her clinical career and keep social justice and activism at the heart of her work. She remembers her time at Dominican fondly and believes that the best way to appreciate the university is to cherish your moments and memories.
“After you leave Dominican, know that the world is truly open and available for you,” she said. “Continue to live out the mission and values of Dominican and know that Dominican will always be there for you.”
