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Kristin Tappan

Kristin Tappan '11, M.A. 17 Headshot
Kristin Tappan

Graduation Year: 2011, M.A. 2017

Hometown: South Pasadena, CA

Current Residence: Santa Clara

Major at Santa Clara: Psychology (B.S.), Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy (M.A.)

Occupation: Therapist in Residence

Email Kristin

Favorite memory from Santa Clara 

It feels nearly impossible to choose just one! So much of what I loved (and still love) were the little moments in between - staying up until 3 a.m. in deep conversations with friends who are now more like family, giving campus tours as an ambassador, and then seeing the same student choose SCU the following year, losing my voice at basketball games and concerts alike.

Extracurricular activities while a student at SCU

  • Residence Life (Community Facilitator and Assistant Resident Director)
  • Student Ambassador
  • Psychology Research
  • TA

My hobbies and interests

  • Concerts
  • Travel
  • Wine tasting
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Cooking and baking
  • Blogging

Things I am good at

  • Planning
  • Hosting
  • Listening
  • Writing
  • Mediating difficult dialogues

Expertise that I have acquired in my life and career that I bring to my term of service on the SCU Alumni Board

There is something extraordinary about having institutional knowledge from the perspective of an undergraduate student, a grad student, and now, a full-time staff member, especially after spending five years away from SCU. Working in mental health has increased my intellectual curiosity, empathy, and passion for people. Being able to serve as a Therapist in Residence here and help ensure support for every student is accessible has been an unparalleled experience. Combining that with being part of the DEI committee has allowed me to bring greater awareness to areas where our university could stand to develop further.

Location
Santa Clara