Darci Motoki
Launching into a Career in Applied Psychology
First-year Master’s student Darci Motoki, like many others with an undergraduate background in Psychology, has quickly learned that there’s a lot more to do in the field than clinical work. Having completed a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy from Boston College, Darci decided to take some time to explore her options, working at a hospital for severely mentally ill patients and conducting research on minority mental health and cultural diversity with Dr. Wei-Chin Hwang at the University of Utah. (In an ironic twist, Dr. Hwang has also joined Claremont’s graduate faculty in psychology; he now does applied research from his faculty position at Claremont McKenna College.) “My experience persuaded me that I wasn’t as interested in clinical psychology and therapy as I had thought,” she admits, though she was accepted into a number of excellent clinical programs. “My new interest in Organizational Behavior, especially Dr. Bligh’s research on leadership development and organizational change, led me to Claremont.”
And Claremont Graduate University is delighted to have her. Darci’s outstanding academic achievement in her first year led to her being awarded the Stewart Oskamp Fellowship in Applied Psychology. She hopes to use her MA from Claremont to start a consulting career in organizational development. “I have my eyes set on working for a large firm to gain experience, though I’m not ruling out returning to school eventually for a Ph.D.” When asked what her research interests would be, Darci doesn’t hesitate: “Global leadership. It’s an up-and-coming field, and with globalization on the rise, it’s going to continue to be in demand.”
Darci credits Claremont with giving its students a lot of individual attention. “The class sizes are small and interactive. Professors introduce topics that will be relevant to our careers and encourage us to explore our interests.” As for academic advice for current and future students, Darci says it’s all about time management and finding what works for you. “Try not to get overwhelmed. We have such a good support system and great network of people here to turn to for help. You have to find a good balance between your school and your personal life.”
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