Christina Billotto has always wanted to work with children. As a paraprofessional, she has already created a safe place for the children in her class where they could come and express themselves but wanted to make a bigger impact on a child’s overall educational experience and well-being. As a result, Billotto decided to obtain a master’s degree at Brooklyn College and become a school psychologist. As an active member of the graduate student community and the president of Supporting Equality and Transformation (SEaT)—a CUNY-Brooklyn College affiliated graduate student organization she is part of as the Graduate Student Organization Liaison to the School of Education—Billotto would like to encourage more graduate students to be involved in the school community. Billotto will graduate this spring, while successfully maintaining her studies and extracurriculars, earning her Master of Science in Education in school psychology. Billotto is proud of being the first person in her family to earn a master’s degree and dedicates her achievement to her parents, who have supported her throughout her academic journey. The aspiring school psychologist is excited to use her expertise to work with children and provide an equitable education to all. What did you study at Brooklyn College? I’m getting my Master of Science in Education in school psychology. I’ve been at Brooklyn College since undergrad, and I was originally going to study occupational therapy to work with special needs children. But to do that, I needed to take psychology courses, and that’s how I fell in love with the science of the mind rather than the physical sciences. I was already working in the Department of Education as a paraprofessional and had experience working with special needs children, so I knew I needed to find a way to incorporate my love of psychology with the work I was already doing and loving. So, this was the best way for me to do that. I can support families and ensure students are getting the support they need to excel socially, behaviorally, and academically despite any socioeconomic barriers that might exist for them. Tell us more about your involvement in the graduate student community. This past year I served as president of Supporting Equity and Transformation. Additionally this past semester, I was the Graduate Student Organization Liaison to the School of Education, so I was able to start to see some of the intricacies of graduate student government. The current executive board and the liaisons worked this semester to pass a referendum that would increase the graduate student activity budgets. This increase has been the first since 1987, and this was the most voter involvement we’ve seen in a few years, which is incredible. We are the graduate student government, essentially, so mainly we want to ensure that the graduate students are getting the most out of their experience while here at Brooklyn College. We’re in constant collaboration with graduate student clubs and organizations, so the best way to get involved is to join a club! Think about something that you like or enjoy and join the club to meet like-minded people and get the most out of your experience while here. And if there’s not a club already in place, it’s so easy to create one, and we can walk you through that process. Did you have a staff or faculty mentor at the college who played a particularly significant influence on your academic career? One faculty member that I would consider having had a particularly significant influence on my academic career would be Professor Makel Lynch. She was my professor for two semesters in a row and helped me come into my own in this profession. Professor Lynch encouraged and believed in me when I was doubting myself and my abilities, but she never just gave me the answers. She always pushed me to come to my conclusions and formulate my understanding of the topics, even when all I wanted was to be told the answer. Her door [and e-mail] were always open to me, and our talks were never limited to what I didn’t understand or what I was struggling with. I was able to expand my understanding of our field through our conversations and felt seen in my frustrations when they did arise. She has always made me feel like she was in my corner and was there to offer support. I have so much respect for her, not only as a professor but as an individual. I modeled the way I handled the program and my future goals after her, especially to one day come back to my program to teach, and I hope I can be the kind of professional she can be proud to have taught. What are your plans for after graduation? I will be doing a yearlong internship in a high-need district in the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), so I’ll be coming back in September to get my advanced certificate in school psychology. I’ve also applied for the advanced standing placement for the Mental Health Counseling Bridge that Brooklyn College has debuted this year, so I’ll be working towards getting a second degree in mental health counseling. After my internship, I plan to work as a school psychologist in the NYCDOE and maybe work in a clinic as a mental health counselor before opening my practice. One day, I want to go for my doctorate to become a psychologist. My journey with academia is nowhere near finished yet, but for now, I’m going to spend time with my family and my partner, Cristian, and enjoy what I’ve worked so hard to have. Any advice for future grads? Get involved as much as you can. Your studies, assignments, and grades are important. But you can make some of the strongest bonds and friendships in graduate school that I’m not sure you can make elsewhere. The college has so many amazing opportunities, and graduate school doesn’t need to be all work and no play. There’s no better place to meet people who have the same interests as you. I was incredibly lucky because I was able to meet some of the most amazing people in this program that I not only get to have as my colleagues but also have the privilege of calling my friends. I didn’t get that from keeping to myself and focusing only on academics. My other piece of advice is to socialize with the other people in your program; you never know who you might meet.
