Shuri Hatake is pursuing a master’s degree in educational psychology

Starting in September, Shuri Hatake will attend graduate school at University College London (UCL) in England, where she will pursue a master’s degree in educational psychology.

Before that, she will return to her home country of Japan to work at a daycare center supporting children with developmental disabilities. She’s also taking psychology courses through the University of Pennsylvania.

“After I graduate from UCL, I plan on securing a Ph.D. in educational psychology, possibly in the U.K. or the U.S.,” Hatake said. “Eventually, I intend to work as a learning support assistant, teaching assistant or assistant educational psychologist to gain hands-on experience and to get to know the field at large.”

Ever the explorer, Hatake has dreams of working in Denmark for a period of her career, as Danish children are considered some of the happiest in the world and she wants to understand why so that she can promote happiness worldwide.

“While working with the children, I would like to incorporate some of the knowledge I gain from my positive psychology course in making children’s school life experiences better,” she said.

As an international student, there were both adventures and challenges to the university experience. However, Hatake found that Salve Regina offered a supportive environment for international students.

“All the faculty members greatly helped me in some way or another,” she said. “Since English is my second language, I had many questions about lectures, assignments and exams. Every faculty member in the psychology department has been extremely caring, supportive, enthusiastic and always tries to help me.”

During her time at Salve Regina, Hatake learned important lessons like perseverance, how to manage time and discipline. “Since I’ve already formed my strong work ethic, I can power through any obstacles in the future,” she said.

Because Hatake has traveled so much already in her life – even studying abroad in Scotland – she has seen a variety of educational settings. To her, the experience at Salve Regina will always stand out.

“Salve Regina values individuality yet feels as though there’s a whole community that has your back,” she said. “Salve is a community where I truly feel like it’s a second home. It is a one-of-a-kind place where you can grow and mature so that you can find yourself.”