Get to Know Your Student Committee: Lili Ramos, Secretary

We asked the members of the 2021-2022 Student Committee to answer some questions about themselves to help you get to know who they are and what they do.

What is your school, program & year? Clinical Psychology PhD at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, second year

Why psychology and the law? Soon after becoming interested in psychology, I realized that I wanted to be involved in research that is meaningful and has potential for real impacts. After working in a lab focused on improving behavioral health outcomes for adolescents involved with the juvenile legal system, I knew I wanted to continue in this field and continue doing work at the intersection of psychology and law.

If you could only watch 3 movies or tv shows over and over for the rest of your life, what would they be and why? Schitt's Creek, Top Chef, School of Rock - a little random but the perfect combination of comedy, comfort, and positivity!

Is cereal soup? No. Cereal can't be soup because cereal without milk is still cereal - it exists as it's own thing even when not in milk!

What is a quote you like and who said it? "It's not over til it's over." It's a classic and simple quote but one that is big in my family and a great reminder about determination and perseverance!

What is your favorite thing about your current graduate program? I am grateful that through my graduate program I am able to receive training in clinical forensic psychology and be apart of Dr. Emily Haney-Caron's Youth Law & Psychology Lab, where we work on research projects ultimately aimed at improving juvenile legal system polices and practices.

If you were not in graduate school what would you do? I would be working as a restaurant critic or in some role related to the restaurant business.

If you could invite five people (dead or alive) to a dinner party, who would it be and why? It would be amazing to have a dinner party with all of my maternal and paternal grandmothers and great-grandmothers. I think it would so cool to have them all together at a table sharing stories and experiences.

What advice do you have for those applying to graduate school? My advice would be to a) focus on finding a program that fits with your needs and goals as both a student and person overall and b) spend time talking to current students and hearing their perspectives and experiences in the program.

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