Meet Katelyn

Katelyn and Family

Meet Katelyn Dooley, a 2023 graduate from the Athens State University Behavioral Science program and recipient of the Athena Scholarship Award. Dooley says through her studies she was strengthened personally and professionally.

Dooley enrolled at Athens State University following a tragic housefire causing her family to lose everything. She began the hard work of self-evaluation after the loss of her home and realized if she wanted to get different results in life, she needed to start taking different steps to get there.

“I knew that I wanted to provide a better life for my family,” she shared. “I had to choose the next right thing, one day at a time.”

After the housefire and birth of her third child, Dooley knew the next right thing was to finish her degree. Anyone can affirm that going back to college, rebuilding your home, and caring for three young children simultaneously is no small feat.

“I remember nursing Lucy and typing with one finger to complete assignments,” said Dooley. “I would ask myself, ‘Why did I do this?’”

She knew in those still and reflective moments while feeding her baby that if she did not press on and pursue her degree, then she never would. She shared that she waited so long to go back to school because she did not believe in herself. Today, Katelyn Dooley does believe in herself. She is a woman, mom, wife, friend, and counselor in the making – and no one can stop her.

Dooley’s “why” comes from a deep-seeded desire to be a “stepping stone” for people struggling with their mental health. Her next step is to attain her master’s degree in clinical and mental therapy in pursuit of becoming a licensed clinician. Dooley displayed an enormous amount a grit and determination to be where she is today. She stated that through her personal and professional work in mental health she hopes to help people move forward from their pain to a healthy position in life.

About the Behavioral Science Program

The Behavioral Science degree program at Athens State University is committed to guiding students to become psychologically and sociologically literate citizens of the 21st century by providing a broad and balanced understanding of psychology and sociology as a social and natural science.  Students pursuing a behavioral science degree gain knowledge, skills, and values consistent with the science and application of psychological and sociological principles. Click HERE to learn more.

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