Ivan Cobian

Name of the Scholarship/Opportunity (and its benefits):

USC Graduate School DIA (Diversity, Inclusion, and Access) Jumpstart Program. It is a ten-week program where I work with a pediatric behavioral lab working with infants with motor disabilities. The program exposes me to IRB training, research training, data interpreting and behavior analysis. This program also offers its participants a USC Ph.D. application fee waiver.

What are your future career goals?

I want to be a clinical psychologist while also taking part in different research studies. Some of my research interests include autism, self-esteem issues, and LGBTQIA+ issues.

What motivated you to apply and what were some of the challenges?

This research opportunity offered to college students with minimal research experience was really, what drove me. Also, the pediatric behavioral lab and its research objectives go hand in hand with my psychology major. A challenge that I faced was fighting the belief that I was not good enough to apply for this program.

What advice would you give to future applicants of this scholarship or any scholarship?

Find a program that fits what your interests are. When you are preparing your written portion, really answer the questions and talk about your passions. Most opportunities call for a letter of recommendation, so be sure to keep close connections to professors who will vouch for you and once you get one letter of recommendation it can be used repeatedly to all the places you apply to.

What would people be surprised to know about you?  

Some of my hobbies include listening to music and record collecting. I have more than 50 records in my collection now.

Any other information you would like to mention or include that wasn’t asked here:

I transferred into the Honors College, and it really opened the door for me. Having the requirement to take an honors college professional development course offers me help on my resume, CV, and personal statements. 

Information on The Diversity, Inclusion, Access (DIA) Jumpstart program at USC: https://provost.sma.usc.edu/prog/jumpstart2022/