Image credit: A VerMeulen 
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For senior Psych major and Ed Studies minor Stephanie Schindler, the right college experience ended up being a lot closer to home than she ever thought.
A Maryland native, Stephanie grew up in Mechanicsville – at the north end of St. Mary’s County – in a house her family built right next to her dad’s childhood home. After attending private Catholic schools through K-12, including high school at St. Mary’s Ryken, when it came time to look for colleges, her mom only had one rule: it had to be an in-state school. Stephanie visited a few Maryland schools that just didn’t feel like the right fit, including Salisbury University, which she describes as “too big.” However, when she visited St. Mary’s as a prospective student, something clicked. Stephanie was drawn in by the small size, which created a comfortable atmosphere that reminded her of Ryken. Receiving a full scholarship sealed the deal; according to Stephanie, it felt like “St. Mary’s chose me.”
She didn’t always have her sights set on a Psychology major, though. As a first year student, Stephanie was planning to do a student designed Biology and Environmental Studies major (back before there was an official ENST major), but she realized during the first semester of Principles of Biology that a Bio/ENST major wasn’t for her. Despite not being very interested in Psychology class in high school, after taking Psych 101 in the Spring of her first year at St. Mary’s, Stephanie was hooked! Fast forward a few years later, and Stephanie has been inducted as a member of Psi Chi (the Psychology honors society) and has completed her Senior Seminar project in Psychology, focusing on new religious movements (like Scientology) and investigating how they view mental health and how these views affect the mental health of their followers.
Stephanie has worked in the Library since the fall of her Junior year. While searching for an on-campus job, one of her friends, who was already working in the Library, recommended that Stephanie apply. While she enjoys working in the Library environment and getting to help people use the Library, one of Stephanie’s favorite parts of her job is finding misshelved books that have been designated missing or lost. Since beginning her job, Stephanie has found 15 books that were considered missing or lost but were simply shelved in the wrong place! Though she has a knack for finding these misplaced books, Stephanie still wants to encourage everyone not to put books back at random places on the shelves. (Editor’s note: you can put books you don’t want to check out on any cart on the first or second floor.)
In addition to working at the Library, Stephanie has been involved with a number of clubs on campus including acting as a Peer Health Educator, living in the Women in Science House Living & Learning Community (WISH), serving as President of Circle K, and participating in many Sustainability Club events.
Looking forward, Stephanie is interested in pursuing a career as a Special Education teacher. After graduation, she plans on getting a MAT focused on Special Ed from Notre Dame of Maryland University, and in the meantime you may find her substitute teaching in the Southern Maryland public school system in the Spring.