Praniece Nicholson, 30, of Gary, graduates this May with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

After withdrawing from college in New York in 2013 due to medical reasons, her dream to become a psychologist was put on hold. But, this dream did not die. After stepping foot in the Indiana University Northwest admissions office in 2017, Nicholson knew her dream was going to be a reality

Nicholson has fought chronic pain most of her adult life, so balancing academics and battling the pain was sure to be hard.

“One challenge I faced in that process was recognizing my physical strengths and limitations,” she said.

Then, right before Nicholson registered for classes at IU Northwest, she lost her two biggest cheerleaders. Her grandmother and stepfather passed away. However, IU Northwest quickly added numerous cheerleaders to motivate Nicholson through her degree.

Nicholson has been on the Chancellor’s List every semester at IU Northwest, graduating with a 4.0 cumulative GPA. She has also been inducted into Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for the field of psychology and will soon be inducted into the Sigma Delta PI, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society.

A first-generation college student, Nicholson also worked in Student Support Services as a mentor, becoming president of the Gen 1 Club, designed specifically to help first-generation students navigate the college experience. Her role led to an invitation to travel to Washington, D.C., for an alternative spring break trip to explore several national museums. She emerged as a leader on the trip and led discussions about their observations.

Another experience that helped Nicholson customize her education was the opportunity to conduct research alongside Professor MaryAnn Fischer. The two studied how to improve student outcomes in introductory psychology courses.

“Receiving that hands-on practical experience with psychological research has been transformative for me,” Nicholson said. “It has definitely given me real-world experience that is giving me tools for my next academic journey.”

After graduating, Nicholson plans on enrolling in IU Northwest’s Nonprofit Management certificate program. Once complete, she intends to pursue a doctoral degree in child and adolescent or clinical community psychology.

Overall, what Nicholson appreciates most about her IU Northwest education is the family that she has gained along the way.

“I have gained friends for a lifetime and mentors for my future endeavors,” she said. “Such experiences have equipped me for the next phase of my academic journey.”

About the Class of 2019: Indiana University Northwest will confer 830 degrees at the 53nd Annual Commencement ceremonies on May 9, 2019. The Class of 2019 will collectively receive 51 associate’s degrees, 670 bachelor’s degrees and 109 master’s degrees. The oldest student graduating is 68 years old and the youngest is 20, and seven out of 10 graduates are female. The most popular bachelor’s degree granted is general studies, followed by psychology. More than 40 percent of the graduating class are first-generation college students and more than 50 percent are over the age of 25.