Get to know your student committee: Ariel Breaux!

Ariel Breaux is the 2018-2019 Campus Representative Coordinator for the AP-LS Student Committee! Ariel keeps are the Campus Representatives up to date on the APLS happens to share with the rest of the students in their program. She worked hard this summer to update our list of campus representatives and get more information from them about their needs. Ariel took some time to answer some questions so we could all learn more about her. Thanks, Ariel!

If you could only have 3 non-psychology books on your bookshelf, what would they be?
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, Harry Potter (any one of them honestly) by J.K. Rowling and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Why psychology and the law?  
Over the years before going into graduate school I noticed the discrepancy in the availability of mental health services for individuals involved in the legal system, specifically little to no mental health services until mandated by court or while incarcerated.  I realized that forensic populations are often filled with individuals that need these services the most, which motivated me to direct my energy into clinical work in correctional and other forensic settings.

What is one professional goal you have?
My one professional goal is actually a new goal I’ve set for myself.  I want to work towards getting more involved with mental health policy and eventually having a position that allows me to be more involved in working to change or fix some of the systemic problems seen in the criminal justice system.

What is your favorite city and why?
My favorite city has to be New Orleans, LA.  I went to college there and seeing the melting pot that is the city of New Orleans, LA, both good, bad, and ugly, helped me to become more culturally competent and inspired me to learn more about other’s cultures, as well as being open to learning from those I interact with.

If you were not in graduate school what would you do?
For the most part my aspirations have always involved graduate school in some shape or fashion, but if I graduate school was not an option, I would likely be involved in musical theatre in some shape or fashion.  I’ve always had an affinity for theatre and regret not being more involved after college.