Heather Schillinger

Heather Schillinger’s Trine University psychology degree is not only preparing her to serve others, it’s helping her learn about herself.

“I have always been someone who enjoyed helping others, seeing others happy, and being happy myself,” she said. “Since I was young, I have struggled with anxiety. I have also lived with family members, friends and my daughter's father who suffered from addiction. It dawned on me that the field of psychology would not only help me continue striving to serve others, it also would help me understand what in the world was going on in my life and how I could better handle its effects.”

Heather decided to attend Trine after hearing a staff member from the university speak in a class she was taking at Ivy Tech Community College’s Fort Wayne campus.

“Before then, I never imagined myself being able to pursue any other higher education,” she said.

Her challenges while completing college included being a mother to two young children, working full-time and getting married.

“With the help of Trine's awesome staff and professors, and my family, I have been able to overcome any and all challenges that came my way throughout this journey,” she said.

Her bachelor’s degree program includes extra classes focusing on addiction, allowing her to sit for an addiction counselor license after graduation. She already works at the Bowen Center, a mental health clinic, and plans to continue there while eventually completing a Master of Science in applied behavioral analysis.

“Once I obtain that degree, I aspire to work with children with autism,” she said. “They're simply the best!”