Hi! My name is Caitlin Watkins and I am a rising-Junior from Anderson, South Carolina. I am majoring in Psychology and plan to pursue a career in Neuropsychology after graduation. I love staying busy, so I have joined several organizations on campus that line up with my passions. I participate in undergraduate research that studies the neuropsychological effects of sickle cell disease on children and young adults. I also play violin in the campus orchestra and work as an usher at the Koger Center in my spare time. I recently joined the Psi Chi Honor Society and I am excited to see the opportunities that it brings. Lastly, I am a member of a community group on campus called Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru). 

     The Capstone Scholars Program has been a key part of my college experience because it has helped me reach academic goals and grow as an individual. When I started school, my only goal was to be the best student possible. I believed this meant having a high GPA, but Capstone has taught me that being a good student is so much more. Being a good student includes personal and academic growth, learning different perspectives about the world, and trying to better myself and the community based on what I have learned. Being a good student according to the values that Capstone taught me became the goal for my undergraduate experience.

     Capstone has helped me achieve these goals through many of their events. My academic goals were met through the use of personal challenges and workshops. Submitting a personal challenge at the beginning of the year kept me accountable since I knew there would be a reflection at the end of the year. The personal challenges provided a push to achieve without any pressure or consequences in the case that the goals were not met. Studying workshops also provided academic tools to better my learning experience. My goal of bettering the community and learning more about the world around me was met through service events. I was able to attend a Service Saturday where I put together meal boxes at a food pantry and a Hot Cookie Friday where I was able to paint cheerful flower pots for children at the Epworth Children’s Home. These events showed me the importance of using my resources to help those in need. It was special to help communities in need and better myself in the process. When I attended a Sustainability Workshop, I was able to learn about the psychology behind sustainability and the false ideas that many people have about sustainable practices. It was fascinating to learn about the viewpoints that many people hold and why they may not be ideal. The viewpoints that I learned about contributed to my goal of learning different perspectives of the world. I was also able to participate in Marathon Month and a Group X classes giveaway through Capstone. Winning free Group X classes for a semester and participating in Marathon Month encouraged movement of my body that contributed to the betterment of my physical and mental health.