Ivan had been a Rutgers College senior majoring in Psychology at the time of his internship. He had especially enjoyed the regular opportunities to discuss theory with his mentor, Dr. Ian Brissette, who had then been a new faculty member in the psychology department. After exploring the vast literature on the tenets of coping strategies, he applied that knowledge to examining coping strategies of Rutgers University freshmen.
Ivan’s past career aspirations had been clinical, and he had recognized the value of strong research skills. Beyond the obvious, he believed that “research was necessary to pursue your outrageous theories”. With respect to the rigors of Project L/EARN’s summer training program, believes it is a unique opportunity to gain a wealth of information in a structured and supportive environment.
Ivan had applauded the use of former interns as instructors and teaching assistants. He believed they were demanding yet caring and supportive. They were able to motivate the students to work hard at overcoming the mysteries of research by accompanying statistical theory lectures with applied examples and policy relevant interpretations.
