Psychology Ambassadors

Psychology ambassadors are student representatives selected by the director of the psychology program at Michigan Tech. The role of the ambassador is to promote Tech's undergraduate degree program and to inform the campus and local communities of the psychology profession and its myriad real-world applications. The psychology majors comprising the group have very diverse backgrounds and interests, unified by a love for psychology and a desire to help others with everything from navigating campus to finding their calling within this broad discipline.

The ambassadors are very active on campus. They have spoken with prospective Tech students at the University's Open House, given presentations to undecided majors in general education classes, and supported current students through coordinating undergraduate research opportunities in psychology. Currently, the group is organizing a tour to high schools in Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula to expand their outreach efforts.

If you see an ambassador out and about, which is likely, don't hesitate to ask a question—or just say hello. Also feel free to contact them via email. Psychology majors interested in applying for the ambassador role should contact Kay Tislar.

Hannah Kariniemi Photo

Hannah Karaniemi

Hometown: Calumet, MI
Class: Senior
Areas of interest: Experimental psychology, health psychology, social psychology

About Hannah:

I spend my free time creating art, playing my ukulele, and baking sweet treats. At Michigan Tech, I am involved in the Psi Chi International Honor Society, the Association of Psychology Students, IRHC Broomball, and the Health Occupation Students of America organization. I have also aided the Cognitive and Learning Sciences department by serving as an ambassador to help guide new students and as a statistics lab instructor. In addition to my educational experiences at Michigan Tech, I worked for the Center for Pre-college outreach as a student coordinator for the Summer Youth Programs.

The psychology program offers endless opportunities. With the help of the extraordinary staff in the department, I was able to conduct research as an undergraduate student and participate in a cooperative education program with Kimberly-Clark. This program has prepared me for my future in the field of psychology and has allowed me to pursue a well-rounded education.


Tyrell Photo

Tyrell Buckley

Hometown: Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Class: Junior
Areas of interest: Sports psychology and research methods

About Tyrell:

I am a student-athlete here at Michigan Tech as I play on the men's hockey team. Sports have always been a strong passion of mine, as I played many different sports growing up before focusing strictly on hockey. I wish to continue to have sports in my life in the future whether it be still playing hockey or working with athletes in some way. I like to go hiking in the summer and enjoy wakesurfing and jet skiing on the lake at my hometown. For several years I have worked at a hockey school in the summers as a power skating instructor in Penticton and have enjoyed coaching kids.

Being a part of the Psychology program at Michigan Tech has been a great experience for me because I have developed great relationships with my classmates and professors in the department. I have felt very supported throughout my time here and attribute a lot of my success in the classroom to the professors that have taught me. Their methods of teaching material for various courses and the opportunity they give students to participate in real studies to further learn in a hands-on way has helped me find areas of psychology that are particularly interesting to me. I had an excellent experience in the Research Methods class conducting my own research that focused on the effects of mindfulness and pre-game rituals on self-reported confidence. This was a great opportunity to work on using all the methods needed to conduct research and learn the skills that are needed to present my results effectively to fellow professors and students in the psychology program.