Corinne Willard Applies Psychology to Leadership Skills

Corinne Willard is this year’s outstanding graduate from SDSU’s Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program. In addition to obtaining her B.A. in Psychology, she also has minors in Leadership and Naval Science. After serving four years a part of the NROTC program, Willard plans on enlisting as a ground officer in the United States Marine Corps.

Pursing a commission into the Marine Corps had been one of Willard’s lifelong goals since grade school. That desire was fulfilled when she became a recipient of the NROTC Marine Option Scholarship. The award allowed her time to focus on both academics and fitness during her tenure at SDSU.

Willard said her major reinforced the values and interests of pursuing a career in the military. Two courses in Psychology stood out the most during her undergrad years and contributed to acquiring some of the necessary skills she needed towards her future as an officer.

“I took a course on stress, trauma, and combat experience which gave me a better understanding of what kind of unique situations and challenges await my fellow Marines in our future endeavors,” Willard said. “That class helped me identify practical ways of communicating and leading in high-stress environments, as well as giving me preventative strategies that can reduce the number of psychological casualties in a combat environment.”

“An intro to counseling and therapy course also taught me ways to be effective with my colleagues in figuring out who they are, what they’re feeling, and how that affects performance at any given moment,” she said. “The information I learned allowed me to connect and motivate people in the military while shaping my leadership skills and maintaining a stature of professionalism.”

Willard said she hopes her graduating class will set an example for others to follow in the field. Her advice for future students is to take as many classes possible that align with your interests.

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.