Senior Emma Thul’s college experience is about to come to an end in April of 2023, but that doesn’t hold her back from becoming a client-based therapist.

Thul is originally from Algona, IA, double majoring in psychology and human services. On campus, she is a part of Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG), Stormathon and Dance Marathon, Best Buddies, Active Minds, Student Justice Association and ODK Honor Society.

Coming to Simpson was no question for Thul. She explained after stepping onto campus her freshmen year, it felt like home.

“I think that coming to a college that was smaller was the best thing I could have done because you make connections and it’s easier to be involved in the community. I don’t think I would have found that at a bigger campus,” Thul said.

She said that her favorite memories at Simpson are traditions that happen every year, but these certain ones have a special place in her heart.

“Going to Dance like Hell, Yell like Hell and all the other homecoming events were great memories,” she said, “ but I also enjoyed being in my sorority and meeting my best friends.”

Post graduation, Thul wants to continue her education at a higher institution to have her dream job become a reality.

“I plan on going to graduate school and becoming licensed in clinical health counseling or a social work degree,” Thul said. “The end goal is to do client-based therapy.”

Thul explained that her passion for psychology and human services reflects on how she treats others today: being a helpful ally.

“I appreciate helping people and am very interested in psychological functioning, passionate about mental health and making a change to the stigma surrounding it where I can.”

During her time at Simpson, Thul has made many connections on campus, but there was one that helped her realize her true love for the world of psychology.

“Don Evans has been a great advisor. He is always there for academic support but also supportive as a person,” she said. “His sense of humor is great and always makes class fun. He is really like a mentor and is someone that I feel has made me love psychology even more.”

Some advice Thul would give to future freshmen and current students is that they should focus on having a connection with their professor to have someone they can go to no matter what the case may be.

“Making connections with your professors is beneficial because faculty at Simpson are willing and open to having tight-knit relationships, like a mentor-mentee kind of vibe.”

With her time at Simpson coming to an end, she confidently expressed that her experience will impact her future as a whole with the connections she has made on campus. 

“Apart from the education and family-like environment, the aspect that made me the most prepared for the future were the relationships I made at Simpson,” she said. “Not only did I meet some of my best friends, but my professors turned to mentors with endless advice on where to go following Simpson.”