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Welcome to Flash Focus! In this series, we introduce you to fascinating student Flashes from all walks of life.

Meet Caitlyn Lincoln, a senior psychology major from Worthington, Pennsylvania, with a proven passion for leadership, patient care and altruism – even in her hobbies.

Lincoln is a member of the Honors College who has already earned an undergraduate certificate in addictions counseling.

“I was chosen for the 2023 cohort of the Addictions Counseling Certificate Experiential Paraprofessional Training (ACCEPT) Program, which provided more in-depth counseling training and an internship,” Lincoln told ����Թ� State Today. “There, I found a love for patient care.”

Lincoln has been very involved on campus throughout her college career, including working as a Flashguide orientation leader and Student Success Leader.

“After falling in love with ����Թ� State my first semester, I was happy to lead orientations and help first-year students adjust to college life,” Lincoln said. “It helped me to be more confident in my leadership abilities and broadened my horizons because I got to meet people from all walks of life.”

She has been a part of the Women in Engineering Club, Psi Chi and Alpha Lambda Delta. She has also worked as a research assistant for the ����Թ� Clinical Affective Science Lab under Karin Coifman, Ph.D., and the Drugs and Behavior Lab under William Lechner, Ph.D.

“I was fortunate to complete a research project with Dr. Lechner that focused on the relationships between alcohol moderation and executive function, negative emotion and incentive salience,” Lincoln said. “I got to present my findings at the Undergraduate Research Symposium last spring.”

Since then, she has been a part of the American Medical Student Association, the Female Medical Student Organization, Phi Delta Epsilon and , for which she is a founding member of the chapter.

“I currently serve in two officer positions as recruitment director and engagement director,” Lincoln said. “Two nursing students and I started the chapter because we had a common passion for helping underserved communities. MEDLIFE was a way to do that both locally and abroad.”

Outside of her academic pursuits, Lincoln’s passion for helping others keeps her motivated as she combines her creative hobbies with community service.

“I enjoy volunteering at my local hospital and have accumulated close to 200 hours while making lasting friendships,” Lincoln said. “I joined the National Bone Marrow Registry, which I would recommend to everyone. I taught myself to crochet and have made little crochet hearts for Phi Delta Epsilon’s Valentine’s baskets for Akron Children’s Hospital and have donated homemade winter clothing through MEDLIFE’s Christmas clothing drive.”

A notable person Lincoln met at ����Թ� State is Cynthia Osborn, Ph.D., professor of counselor education and supervision, and ACCEPT program coordinator.

“Dr. Osborn taught me a lot about how to look at treatment holistically and how important it is to get to know your patient,” Lincoln said. “Something I’ll take with me from her classes is that treatment should always be unique; it’s never one size fits all. That’s an important lesson for any future healthcare professional, and I know my counseling background will make me a better doctor.” 

Are you a student interested in being featured in Flash Focus, or know a student who would make a great candidate? Send suggestions with name and contact information to kentstatetoday@kent.edu.