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After graduation, Joshua Gallardo ’23, a Psychology major and Philosophy minor, will attend William James College for a master’s in clinical mental health counseling with a concentration in military and veteran psychology. His ultimate goal is to work as a veteran coordinator at a college. Gallardo, a veteran who’s married and has a daughter, served as a fire control technician for the U.S. Navy, stationed in Groton, Conn.  

Inspiring Internship: “I interned with the state of Rhode Island, helping connect veterans with resources. If they needed help with G.I. bill benefits or any type of mental health support, I would send them to the right place and get them the correct referrals. It helped me learn about the veteran mindset. Sometimes vets put up a wall and don’t want to admit they’re struggling. Learning different ways to establish a relationship between yourself and a client was super helpful. At the end of the day, it’s about helping them.”  

Coursework Sets Foundation for Graduate School: “One of the most helpful classes taught me about APA writing. Learning scientific writing is very important if you’re going into a Psychology field and will be very helpful going into a graduate program. One of my professors also took me to a national communication conference where I got to present about student engagement. That got my foot in the door; when I’m in grad school, I’ll be required to do some work outside of school. Next year I’m going to a conference about ways to help veterans on campus.”   

Finding a Support System on Campus: “At first, I struggled at Roger. There’s not a huge veteran community. A lot of vets who are nontraditional students struggle and feel like they don’t fit in. Once I got to know some of my teachers and staff around campus, they were more than willing to help with all the things I was dealing with. My first semester at Roger, having a baby, every teacher was very accommodating and welcoming. Now, everything is great. I enjoy being here.”  

Gallardo, who works for the Military Affiliate Resource Center on campus, grew up in Anaheim, Calif.  

Every spring, as Commencement nears, 91�������� spotlights members of the graduating class. Suggestions are welcome. Email: stories@rwu.edu