Brenda Sol
M.A. Psychology, Integrative Studies, 1998
 Designing a degree around her areas of interest is what drew Brenda Sol to Antioch.
"I came into the program
knowing I wanted to leave with the abilities and tools to be a workshop/seminar
leader. I didn't know I wanted to study psychology per se, but the
individualized degree leaped out at me. I individualized from top-to-bottom
as I entered the program with a clear focus of women, spirituality
and authentic power," Sol says.
Creating a thesis project was far more engaging than writing a paper that might end up stuffed in a drawer.
"I wouldn't simply research and write about something, I would actually do something. I knew from day one that I would create a series of workshops as my project, so I knew I'd walk away with a marketable product," she says.
Sol, now membership director for The Rainier Club, says the opportunities to prepare independent studies made her very resourceful.
"I like understanding the big picture and then following through on the details. My degree committee made sure I was on track with a plan of action that was holistic and systemic.
"I was involved with the process from beginning to end in a very hands-on way. Plus
I created internships for myself, because I wanted my program to
be hands-on in all capacities, not just in creating the coursework.
"I'm more confident about what I already knew to be true because now I have studies behind me that affirm those truths. I'm even more open-minded because of the range of ideas I was exposed to at Antioch," she says.
Sol considers herself a spiritual activist in the community and she talks of how Antioch played a role in her activism.
"I think being required to be in a cohort helped me realize how important a like-minded community is. Now I find ways to create settings where others can find that same sense of community," she says.
When she recommends Antioch's psychology programs to future students, Sol has a clear message.
"If you want to study psychology from the inside out, Antioch is for you," she says. "Not only will you learn, you will grow in who you are."
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