Colton Rigg

Background

About Colton Rigg

I am a fourth year student attending The Pennsylvania State University. I plan to graduate after the Spring 2024 semester with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. In Fall 2024, I will be continuing my education at George Washington University. My degree will be a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. My education thus far has only furthered my passion for psychology and human wellbeing. Both my psychology and HDFS courses have taught me the importance of understanding the development of individuals across their lifespan, mental health recognition, and emotional and behavioral management. Through my experiences in and out of class, I have gained an awareness of the unfortunate disparities faced by individuals dealing with developmental, emotional, behavioral, mental, or physical challenges. Advocating for these problems that these communities face is something I will continue to do in and out of my future career. My time in the PRISM Lab here at Penn State has equipped me with essential research skills and has enhanced my time management abilities. Through the PRISM Lab, I am a trained interviewer for the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID DSM-5) assessment with study participants. The SCID is a widely used diagnostic interview designed to assess and diagnose various mental health disorders. This has been a greatly beneficial training that will be beneficial in my future as a counselor. My work through Strawberry Fields as a Direct Psychiatric Support Professional has allowed me to connect with many individuals with serious mental illness. My purpose in this position is to assist our consumers in daily needs, crisis intervention, medication consumption, etc. The goal of our program is to assist these individuals transition into an independent lifestyle. As my abilities grow throughout my education and life experiences, I only expect my passion and drive for psychology to grow.