3MT Winner Spotlight | Shannon McGoey

I am from Frederick County, Maryland, and attended Linganore High School, graduating in 2018. In 2022, I graduated summa cum laude from Susquehanna University with my B.A. in psychology, where I was heavily involved in extracurriculars, leadership and athletics. During my time at SU, I received the Dr. G. Edward Schweikert III Psychology Research Award for my research on the effects of exercise on motivation and productivity in college students. This proved to be valuable research, as I became a Certified Personal Trainer in 2022 and began working with clients of all ages to better their physical fitness and overall well-being. From working with my clients, I found a passion for helping others and chose to begin my M.S. in clinical mental Health counseling here at Hood.

This topic was inspired by my diagnosis and psychopathology class with Professor Shaine. She promoted the 3MT competition from our first day in class and gave us the wonderful opportunity to enter using the research paper we wrote for her course. I chose this topic because my reading for the semester, Hidden Valley Road by Rober Kolker, follows the Galvin family: a family where half of their children were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Whereas I do not plan to work specifically with individuals with schizophrenia, I saw from reading this book that the mental health struggles of family members can have a profound effect on otherwise unaffected individuals. I chose to explore that for my research.

I approached it like I would approach telling a friend about my research. Chances are that if you’re sharing your research with someone, they won’t have the time or interest to sit and listen for an hour or more. We all commonly share parts of our academic life with others: “I have this research paper to write,” “I’m halfway through this book for my class” or “It took me forever, but I finally found a study on this thing I’m researching.” In that moment, you have to explain what you’re doing to your audience. This is what I kept in mind as I prepared for 3MT: What’s my topic, what does the audience need to know to understand it and why should they care? The biggest challenge from all of this was to avoid getting too nitty-gritty with the psychological details while still including enough information that the audience can understand the concept and walk away with a more accurate understanding than when they came in.

I love this question! I am fortunate that this research was incorporated into one of my course’s curriculums, which made balancing it much easier. However, I am actively pursuing other research opportunities in addition to my current coursework and my part-time job. Time management is a strength of mine, as I am following the accelerated track of my program, meaning I am completing 60 credits in five semesters. This is definitely a challenge for me, but I think that being a recent college graduate set me up for success. I am used to the grind of being a former student-athlete and campus leader, so I feel comfortable with balancing a heavy academic load. I’ve had several mentors throughout my time as an undergraduate and as a graduate, but one thing that has made a profound difference for me is connecting with people who are where I want to be so that I can learn from them. This could look like meeting with a professor, following a content creator that has your dream job/lifestyle, going to a friend/colleague for advice, etc.

I hope that my research brings awareness to the pervasive stigma that surrounds mental health disorders, namely schizophrenia. As I shared in my thesis, stigma has the strongest effect on family members of those living with schizophrenia. Stigma is interwoven in all aspects of mental health care, and I hope this research contributes to reducing the negative stereotypes and mystery surrounding what it means for someone you love to be diagnosed.

My first piece of advice would be to apply! I didn’t know about 3MT until my professor mentioned it. and just several weeks later, I was chosen as this year’s winner. I would also advise students to choose a research topic that they are passionate about and could easily and enthusiastically explain to a friend. That’s what 3MT essentially is, a (slightly longer) elevator pitch to explain your research to a general audience. And lastly, practice it a few times: write a few drafts of your script, watch former winners’ presentations and practice sharing your research with your friends, family, peers, coworkers, etc. If it’s familiar to you, you will convey it more confidently.

I am currently working with Professor Shoemaker on reviewing literature for one of her research projects, but I am pacing myself, as I begin my practicum placement this May. I am inspired to do research on wellness within the field of counseling, especially as it relates to my interest in the fitness industry. With my course load, doing additional research proves to be a challenge, but I hope that research will remain a part of my professional career.

Inspired by Shannon's story? Ready to #GOFURTHER in your career? Learn more about Hood College’s graduate programs, such as counseling, by clicking here.