Elizabeth Irwin

Program Director for the Northwest University PsyD program

Q: Why did you come to the APA conference?

A: In my role, we have to keep up with current trends and what's going on in the field and so the APA conference is the best way to do it. Everyone is here, everything all comes together, and everything is all under one roof. It's like one stop shopping with regard to the latest books, the latest ideas, talking with presenters, the vendors…it’s all here.

Q: What would you say to someone who is jumping into the field of psychology?

A: I do say this a lot when I recruit but I love it; it's the best decision I ever made and it's a lot of work. It’s five years of hard graduate school but in the end, I have a job I love. I have so many people that have tried to hire me that I've never looked for a job. And I’ve had jobs I love for 20 years so the jobs are there. There’s so much opportunity there. There's so much need for really good psychology if you fit that mold and if you want to do that work it's available and it's there for you.

Q: Is there a specific demographic that you serve?

A: In my university, we serve students from age 22 on up into their 50s maybe even 60s. You’re never too old to learn. Also, as soon as you have your B.A., we believe you are ready to get that graduate degree assuming you meet other criteria, so we get students from both ends of the spectrum. I actually got my PhD when I was 20 years old so I'm very open to younger ages.