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Ramona Rivera Hometown: Bristol, Conn. Major: Health Promotion - Community Health WCSU Degree: Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion - Community Health Internships: Case Management/ Intervention Specialist at the Alternative Incarceration Center in Bristol, Conn., 2009 Activities: Work full time as a developmental service worker at the Southbury Training School in Southbury, Conn., CHOICES Office volunteer; Wellness Task Force, 2008;
Alcohol Task Force, 2008;
Health Promotion Student Organizations, 2008;
C-Camp Member since 2007;
Survivor of Homicide - Southington branch |
Honors and Awards: 3.2 GPA
Ramona Rivera started her education at Naugatuck Valley Community College before transferring to WestConn. "The atmosphere at Western was warm and inviting, close to work, and when I started I was living in Danbury," she says. "Even though I have moved all the way to Bristol, I still feel that WCSU is where I will learn everything I need to know to go out into the world and be of service."
Rivera says she chose the community health option in her health promotion and exercise sciences major because "I believe that it is the exact background I need before I can enter a clinical mental health graduate program. My future plans are to open a mental health facility that provides services to effectuate specific behavior changes and I believe in order to be successful one needs a balance emotionally, mentally, physically and socially. I believe it will help me serve the specific population that I desire to serve."
"Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences Dr. Robyn Housemann pushed me to the limit," Rivera says. "She made me be creative and apply the academics to create a health promotion student organization in 2008 to serve the WestConn community. She is the reason why I was involved in so many campus activities. Also, Sharon Guck, the coordinator of the CHOICES program on campus, was another inspiration to me because she allowed me to be creative in coming up with ideas to teach around campus about alcohol/drug prevention."
Asked what she will remember most about her WestConn experience, Rivera says, "Having the opportunity to network and study alongside a number of exceptional criminal justice practitioners.”
After graduation, Rivera plans to become a clinical psychologist and open a mental health program to serve people with addiction problems.
Rivera’s advice to new students entering WCSU is: “Become involved in campus activities and student organizations like the Student Government Association or Program Activities Council. Get to know the faculty in your major because it will better equip you to be successful. Also, if you are struggling in an area, use the tutoring labs for writing, math, etc. Good luck! The sky is the limit.”
