Krystal Espinoza
Master’s in Psychology
Customer Service Rep, David’s Bridal
Santa Clara, CA
Looking for a Respected University
As Krystal began exploring different online master’s in clinical psychology programs, she knew she wanted to attend a university of which she would be proud. When she finally came across Pepperdine, she was confident she had found the right fit.
“I wanted to get my master’s to open doors to more opportunities and specializations. When I was looking for programs, I wanted to make sure it was one I respected. I wanted to be proud of their academic achievements, and I felt that way with Pepperdine.”
Inspired by Pepperdine’s Diverse Community
As she began courses and got to know both her classmates and faculty, Krystal appreciated the diversity of cultural and educational background as well as work experience of those in the program.
“I started realizing early on just how diverse Pepperdine is. There are people from all walks of life with their own experiences, and I couldn’t be happier with that aspect of the program. I feel like Pepperdine embraces everyone from all populations, cultures, socioeconomic status, age, and more. All the students I’ve encountered are focusing on excelling in their courses and have the same goal of just trying to do well and give back to the community.”
Communication Is Key
Krystal found the topics of interpersonal skills and group therapy to be particularly eye-opening and applicable to both her professional and personal life. Learning how to communicate effectively, Krystal learned, is about much more than just what you say to others.
“My favorite course was Interpersonal Skills and Group Therapy. It taught us the importance of self-awareness, because if we don’t know enough about ourselves, we’re not going to know how to treat individuals. It taught me to be aware of my body language and how I need to be aware of how someone is perceiving me based on my body structure, vocal tone, the frequency of my voice—because they all play a role in communication.”