Carole Allers

HOMETOWN: Originally from Meridian, Idaho; lives in Wilton, Connecticut MAJOR: Psychology MINOR: Community Health WCSU DEGREE: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology ACTIVITIES: 2016-19 Women’s Tennis Team, 2017-19 Student Athletes Advisory Committee representative, full-time mother INTERNSHIPS: Interned as a Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Counselor at the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury

HONORS AND AWARDS: Graduating Cum Laude with 3.66 GPA, initiated into Chi Alpha Sigma Connecticut Eta Chapter, captain of the Women’s Tennis team 2017-19, Dean’s List (all but one semester while at WCSU), 2018 Colonial of the Year, 2016-18 LEC Fall All-Academic Team, 2016-18 LEC All-Conference First Team (Doubles), 2016-18 LEC All-Conference Second Team (Singles)

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Carole Allers’ college journey started with individual classes at Delaware Community College and two years at Norwalk Community College to explore and study specific topics. “After my husband had cancer I realized that I needed to prepare for having my own career,” she says. “At the same time, my son Chauncey was enrolled at WCSU and I began talking to him about his experiences – and making sure that he would be ok going to the same school as his mom. I also had met Psychology Department Chair Dr. Shane Murphy,  and his background, along with my original plan to study sports psychology, was another big factor in choosing the school.”

Allers’ interest in sports psychology stems from her role with U.S. Soccer, where she “officiated games up to NCAA level and was actively involved in identifying, training, assessing and mentoring young referees – especially females. I thought that a degree in sports psychology would help with me the tools to better help young referees reach their potential. As I took more classes across the department, I was drawn to psychology itself, particularly as it relates to the local community base.” It took Allers 2 1/2 years to complete her B.A., and she’s currently finishing a semester at WCSU as a non-matriculated graduate student.

One might expect that attending college could be a challenging situation for a nontraditional student, but Allers embraced every opportunity, including joining the women’s tennis team and defeating opponents half her age on the courts. “My university experience was guided and supported by many people at WCSU,” she says. “Shawn Stillman, my tennis coach, and Dr. Nelson in the Psychology Department were two instrumental people who not only became mentors, but who believed in me and pushed me to be my very best.”

Asked what she will remember most about her WCSU experience, Allers says, “My first college women’s tennis match was the most memorable experience. My husband and son were in the stands cheering me on. My son shouted out to me ‘Let’s go Mom’ and my opponent could not believe he was my son. Here I am a 45-year-old woman about to start playing college tennis. It was amazing.”

After graduation, Allers says, “I’ve just been accepted to WCSU’s newly created Master of Science program in Addiction Studies, starting fall 2019.”

Her advice to new students entering WCSU is: “Take the time to get to know the people in your classes – professors too. Enjoy the experience and make it count.”