Yadira Reinoso

Some students have opportunities handed to them on a silver platter, while others have to work hard and create their own opportunities. Yadira Reinoso is in the latter category, and her curiosity and determination to learn have yielded her Associate and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology, and admission to Western Connecticut State University’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

Moving to Danbury at the age of 7, Reinoso found herself immersed in a new culture with a different language and unfamiliar food. “It was an entirely new world,” she said.

Undaunted, she made her way through the Danbury Public Schools, and took extra classes in the summer to strengthen her English skills. By the time she arrived at Danbury High School, Reinoso was an outstanding student with a promising future — until someone unfortunately misled her into believing that high school graduation is usually the end of the road for non-native English speakers. This left her feeling extremely frustrated. “I was distraught to hear that I was a good student with no future,” she said. “Suddenly my hard work seemed unimportant, and I began to let my classwork slide and became somewhat of a rebel.”

Fortunately, before it was too late, Reinoso discovered that she had been misinformed, and that opportunities do exist for First Generation students like her. She reapplied her efforts and returned to her usual straight-A academic record. One of her classes, a Psychology course called “Brain and Behavior,” completely resonated with her. “I knew then I wanted to study Psychology in college,” she said. “It became one of my passions to help my community and other communities have a voice.”

Because she was entirely responsible for her college tuition, Reinoso enrolled at Naugatuck Valley Community College and took classes at both their Danbury and Waterbury campuses. The pandemic caused a pause in her studies, but she persisted and graduated in 2024 with an Associate Degree in Psychology, and a 3.42 GPA. Reinoso then immediately enrolled in WestConn’s Psychology program to pursue her bachelor’s degree.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Mary Murphy with Yadira Reinoso at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Boston.

“WestConn was an adjustment from NVCC,” she said. “I joined WestConn’s Psych Alliance and met so many beautiful people who steered me in the right direction.” As a result, Reinoso found herself attending the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Manhattan in 2025 as an observer. “I loved it! I wanted to be a presenter,” Reinoso said. “I wanted to become more involved and when I saw a post that Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Mary Murphy was recruiting students to help with her research, I reached out to her immediately.”

Reinoso spent the next four months working closely with the professor to complete the research, “Skillsetter Simulation Training in Graduate Addiction Counseling: Confidence, Satisfaction, and Self-Evaluation Accuracy,” and design a poster presentation for the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Boston in late February 2026. She will present her findings at WestConn’s Research Day in May as well.

“Dr. Murphy is one of my biggest blessings,” Reinoso said. “Not only for the chance to present our research, but she has also told me about many on-campus opportunities, like the Hancock Student Leadership Program. With her encouragement, I applied for and was awarded a Hancock Student Leadership internship. She also helped me interview to be a student mentor for next year, prepare for my upcoming graduation, apply to the master’s program, and she shares job opportunities with me.”

Along the way, Reinoso joined the Psychology Honors Society, Psi Chi, and the National Honor Society. The Hancock Student Leadership internship has been at Danbury Grass Roots, a nonprofit, after-school program for low-income, at-risk students. The internship ends when she graduates in May, but Reinoso wants to continue as a volunteer because it aligns with her desire to help her community through tutoring and support.

Reinoso started her new job with an Applied Behavioral Analysis provider in late April, and will begin her master’s degree program in May after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Commencement.

Yadira Reinoso at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Boston.

She’s achieved a great deal since having to overcome her fear that there would be no opportunities for her after high school. As a First Generation student, she’s had to juggle her academic obligations with her job at Red Lobster that has helped her pay her own way. A Macricostas Scholarship and WestConn’s Financial Aid office have helped her fill the gap so she will graduate debt-free.

Reinoso said her family, her friends, her boyfriend, and even her puppies have been pillars of support as she approaches graduation. “My boyfriend, Jimmy, has been there to encourage me on the days I’ve been overwhelmed and didn’t want to continue,” she said. “He’s helping me make sure I get to where I want to be. My Shih Tzu, Dante, has been with me during the late nights studying, and my new Havanese puppy, Lupita, keeps Dante from being lonely while I’m at school.”

Her dad, a head chef, and her mom, a home daycare provider, are incredibly proud of her, she said. “They see me studying, and they try to help me, give me advice and encouragement. They say it all the time: ‘We brought you to the U.S. to follow your dreams, to be a better version of yourself.’”

Her dream, Reinoso said, is to “Open my own practice where I can use my counseling skills to give back to the Latin community and others who need support. I want to help kids early in their lives, but also remind adults that it’s never too late to seek help.”

Asked what advice she would offer to other students who may also have been misinformed that there are no opportunities after high school for them, Reinoso said, “Everyone has their own timeline in life. Just because someone seems ahead doesn’t mean you’re behind. Focus on your own journey, do everything with love and care, and be proud of how far you’ve come. Your future is what truly matters.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.