Alumni Spotlight: Anne Bonanno

See past spotlights: https://z.umn.edu/PsyFeaturedAlum
A headshot of Anne Bonanno, wearing a brown shirt

Anne Bonanno (she/her)

  • Major: PSY BA (Spring 2014)
  • Position: Assistant Director of Academic Advising 
  • Employer: Farmer School of Business, Miami University

What is your work like? What are your duties?

In my role, I supervise and support the Academic Advisors on staff and I assist business students with major and career exploration, course selection and registration, and academic planning. I also instruct BUS 106: Farmer School of Business Success Strategies, a first year experience course.

How would you say your psychology degree has helped you with your current job?

In my psychology major, I took classes that provided me a strong foundation in understanding individual behavior, motivation, and developmental stages. This knowledge has helped me be able relate to students, recognize their unique challenges, and guide them effectively.

In what way has your major complemented your current job?

As a psychology major, I learned effective communication skills and problem solving skills that help me everyday in my current position. I learned that effective communication involves active listening and empathy. Both of these are essential for advising students if I want to create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable discussing their academic and personal concerns. Additionally, as a psychology major, I learned how to analyze complex problems and develop necessary interventions. This has helped me in addressing student issues, from academic struggles to career planning.

How did you find your current position? 

While at UMN, I worked as a Peer Assistant in the University Honors Program (UHP) and I was a Community Advisor (CA) in Middlebrook Hall my Senior year. I really enjoyed working with students on my floor as a CA and was interested in how the advisors in the UHP helped students navigate their various questions and concerns, so I decided to explore that further after graduation. I had heard of a non-profit called College Possible that helps low-income students get into and through college while I was at UMN and decided that would be a great way for me to confirm if working with college students was something I wanted to do. So after graduating from UMN, I spent two years serving as an AmeriCorps College Coach with College Possible in Omaha, NE and Chicago, IL. That experience confirmed to me that helping students navigate their college experience was the path I wanted to take for my career. I then got my Masters degree in Student Affairs from Iowa State University. After graduating from there in 2018, I started as an Academic Advisor at Miami University and I've been there ever since.

What advice do you have for our current psych students and recent grads?

When I was an undergraduate student, everyone around me was talking about going into counseling psychology or getting their PhDs and that didn't interest me as much. However, I eventually realized that Psychology is a versatile degree that opens doors in many fields, including education, healthcare, business, human resources, and social services. I would encourage current students to take the time to research different career options, get involved on campus, and consider how your skills and experiences can fit into various roles.

If you are interested in being featured or would like to nominate someone to be featured, please fill out this Google Form. We are always looking to highlight our alumni and their accomplishments!

Share on: