School of Language, Culture, and Society

Chloe Bohnstedt

By Selene Lawrence, CLA Student Writer - September 11, 2024

When Chloe Bohnstedt, ‘23, first visited Oregon State University, she knew right away that it was the school for her. “It seemed like the perfect place,” she recalled. Since that first auspicious visit, Bohnstedt has completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology and joined Oregon State’s Career Development Center staff as a career coordinator. Now, she is taking the next step in her remarkable journey in pursuing a master’s degree through the College Student Services Administration (CSSA) program at Oregon State.

Bohnstedt’s passion for psychology was discovered in her junior year of high school. An introductory psychology class helped her embrace a natural draw towards research that would later be a key part of her Oregon State experience. During the class, she started her own list of potential future research topics. “My curiosity bloomed then,” Bohnstedt said, “it never stopped with psychology.”

While pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Oregon State, Bohnstedt received the URSA Engage research scholarship. In early 2022, she joined Dr. Regan Gurung’s lab in conducting a study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on student experience and academic performance. “He was an amazing mentor for me,” Bohnstedt recalled. The work that Bohnstedt contributed to in Dr. Gurung’s lab would eventually shape her honors thesis: a study comparing what students felt were the most important introductory psychology concepts to cover in classes. This study was informed by comparative data showing little uniformity in concept definition in introductory college psychology textbooks. Through Bohnstedt’s labwork and love for social and educational psychology, her next goal became clear and she set her sights on a career in higher education.

Bohnstedt’s inclination towards a supportive, administrative role was with her for years before she realized it. A natural leader, Bohnstedt recalls putting together drills for her lacrosse team in high school, happy to help out her teammates and inspire growth and skill. Given Bohnstedt’s love for learning and unshakable curiosity for the world around her, it was only a matter of time before the value of teaching and education took the lead. While enrolled in Dr. Kathleen Bogart’s social psychology course, Bohnstedt, inspired by the class structure and content, began to think about how she would structure her own courses as a professor. She later worked as a teaching assistant for a year and a half under Professor Ameer Almuaybid, one of the many mentors who helped her realize her path. As Bohnstedt neared graduation, she began to feel some conflict between her pursuit of educational psychology and her interest in exploring higher education career opportunities outside of teaching. While working as a tour ambassador at Oregon State, Bohnstedt’s supervisor Natalie Rooney helped her decide to follow a master’s degree program in higher education. Around the same time, Bohnstedt was encouraged by Karla Rockhold, assistant director for career development, to apply to Oregon State’s CSSA program in the School of Language, Culture, and Society. “Now I’m here, and it’s amazing.” Bohnstedt expressed, “I had so many people in my corner.”

There are notable differences between Bohnstedt’s bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Bohnstedt explains that the foundation of her current program is rooted in social justice, as opposed to the data-driven psychology curriculum, which has empowered her to develop and embrace her own unique point of view. Bohnstedt has still found that her background in psychology has had its own benefit in her approach to coursework. “I see psychology everywhere. I’m often able to bring my love for it into my work.” she explained. According to Bohnstedt, the (CSSA) program not only allows her to participate in coursework that is directly related to building her portfolio, but also encourages her in exercising skills relevant to the workplace. “I just love this program so much.” Bohnstedt said. “They want you to see success not only in this program, but beyond it.” While her master’s thesis is still in progress, Bohnstedt knows that it will focus on women in leadership.

Once she finishes her master’s degree, Bohnstedt affirms that she will continue her work advising and assisting students, and will eventually enroll in a Ph.D. program. Bohnstedt’s work in the Career Development Center at Oregon State has allowed her to connect meaningfully with students and help them navigate their experiences into academic and career planning. In her current role, Bohnstedt also works in project management and development within the department, and supports her fellow student employees through training and orientation. Bohnstedt’s value of community connection will no doubt uplift Oregon State’s student body for the remainder of her time here before her exploratory nature brings her to new horizons. “The best way you can show you care about things is to just show up.” Bohnstedt advised. “Find what makes you curious.”