Kaylee Barker 

I am Kaylee Barker, a determined undergraduate student currently attending Florida International University. However, becoming a college student was not the typical story of your everyday teenager. Being labeled as an unaccompanied/ homeless youth, I faced a lot of discrimination in what I could achieve, including obtaining a high school diploma.  With lack of guidance and discipline, I was discouraged  at a early age that I was incapable to reach my goals in education and working for a satisfying career. However, my life changed completely when I was accepted into a magnet college preparatory school for Law and Criminal Justice at Jefferson H.S. In that setting, I was granted a chance to show my extraordinary passion for furthering my education and potential to excel beyond the ordinary. 

Conducting activities such as crime scene investigation, forensic science, international law, criminal law, and photographing for evidence collection I aspired to be in the criminal justice field. I was able to imply what I learned I in the classroom to my neighborhood that produced high rates of criminal activity. When I witnessed serious issues in my own "backyard" I started to ask more questions like "in what right mind allows a person to commit crime?" This opened the door to Psychology becoming a field of study that could potentially answer all my questions.

Now that I know what studies I want to pursue in, I will be double majoring in both fields of legal Psychology and Criminal Justice. Having the opportunity to participate in the program, Global Health in India: Psychology, I have been introduced to the reality of how psychology and criminal behavior relate on a international level. While conducting this  research I will learn how to use my creativity, confidence, and ability to adjust to international customs needed for studying abroad.  

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