Heathyr Harkless, MA 2009

I accepted an offer from the St. Joseph County Family and Justice Center as the new Victim Services Coordinator.  This is a newly created position funded by the US Department of Justice- Office of Violence Against Women and manages the collaborations and various services that are available to victims of domestic violence.  I will be managing the volunteers and various services that the organization offers to victims of domestic violence. I’ve also been hired as adjunct faculty for IUSB and Ivy Tech teaching Public Speaking and Interpersonal classes.

I believe the combination of my MA in Professional Communication and BA in Sociology and Gender Studies will serve me greatly working in this position.  Having gone through the MA program I was able to develop my research skills, public speaking and education skills through my Graduate Assistantship, and both my knowledge and application of interpersonal skills.  

I was also pleased to have an opportunity to use my synthesis research to my advantage during my interview. I was able to discuss the boundaries between the teacher-student relationship and roles as it could be compared the the therapist-client relationship that occurs in their services.  From my synthesis research I know the key to maintaining ethical relationships with students was to remain student-focused and make decisions student-focused decisions.  In regard to co-dependency and self-disclosure, I believe my synthesis information may be able to be compared for therapists to remain client-focused rather than communicating with clients out of self-serving interests.  This principle of professional relationships was not only useful in my interview, but will also be applicable in managing my volunteer therapists and prevention/maintenance of co-dependency between the therapist-client roles.