A Special Interest Group of the
American Psychological Association's
Division 32, Humanistic Psychology
Always fighting apathy!
Confluence is an undergraduate humanistic psychology alliance that offers a place for multiplicity and diversity of thought, community, friendship and pro-action/activist outreach. We are open to all majors--all those interested in the psychological life of fiction, film, dance, politics, music, philosophy and everything else under the sun. We are unapologetic about our intellectual pursuits and unabashedly passionate!
Confluence embraces the belief in interparticipatory and interdisciplinary experiences and exchanges. We imagine all students as themselves points of confluence—drawn to learn, engage, relate, and change.
Advisor: Robert McInerney, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, rmcinerney@pointpark.edu
Ashley Bobak
Chair of Confluence
I am a junior psychology major here at Point Park. Although I am unsure of specifically what I would like to do with my degree, I am interested in pursuing clinical psychology. However, I am also interested in other practices of psychology as well. This past summer, I served as a KEYS (Knowledge to Empower Youth to Success) Service Corps AmeriCorps Member. I was placed at the Hazelwood YMCA and was in charge of a group of children - but was also interacting with all of the children at the camp most of the day. Having never worked with children before, it was an eye-opening experience. Besides learning how to care and mentor children, I also learned about the inequalities between the Pittsburgh communities. The staff and workplace environment was incredible, it was just difficult because of the lack of money the Hazelwood YMCA receives. Although our supplies were low, and our bus was broken down for a few weeks (without the bus, we had to cancel many field trips and improvise. . . a lot) we managed to have a good summer. It felt like a dysfunctional family almost. No matter how many problems we had, I still loved those kids more than anything. So what I'm trying to get to, and I apologize for the rambling, I have become interested in community psychology and am considering perhaps working with nonprofits or other community resources in low income areas. I am excited to become the chair of Confluence and hope I can bring some new ideas to the alliance, and also work with incoming members to really have a great year.
Meghan Higgins
Co-Chair of Confluence
I am a senior psychology major with a minor in global cultural studies. As a student at Point Park University, I have over the course of time been confronted by such diverse questions as “How does the media affect childhood development?” “What are the characteristics of modernity and the origins of capitalism?” “To what degree is mental illness in America a self-created and perpetuated phenomenon?” “Why does my musical theater major neighbor sing the same Celine Dion song every single night in the shower?” Being a member of Confluence for what will be my fourth year has helped further enrich my inquiries into the discipline of psychology and answer questions such as these (the answer to that last one is still yet to be determined).
As someone who never stops questioning, believes fiercely and passionately in the power of human compassion and empathy, and also tends to have slightly chaotic, far flung interests, I have loved participating in the wonderfully eclectic amalgamation of events, lectures, and films for which Confluence has become known. In addition to my interests in psychology, I enjoy music and playing guitar, great books, and questing after the perfectly brewed cup of coffee. After graduation, I hope to attend graduate school and eventually obtain a doctorate in some sort of clinical or developmental psychology program, in addition to possibly working with AmeriCorp. I’m looking forward to another enlightening year with Confluence Psychology Alliance!
Dominique Curry
Administrator of Confluence
I am a sophomore cinema major pursuing psychology as a minor. Underlying many, if not, every movie is an aspect of psychology, be it the characters, the plot, or the setting, and I strive to stuff as much of that as I can into the short movies I create. Psychology was always my favorite class in high school too. Sadly, it was my first class, leaving me with nothing as interesting to look forward to for the rest of the day. My interests include volunteering, especially for animal shelters, drawing, writing, jamming to my favorite music and watching movies. I hope to step out of college with a steady job somewhere within the film industry, even if it is near the bottom of the great hierarchy of crew members and directors. Hopefully, someday, I'll actually be able to become one of those directors and at least make one movie that people watch and walk away thinking, "Hey, there were some neat psychology stuff in there!"
Kelly Smith
Treasurer of Confluence
Kelly is a human contradiction: while walking on two feet and speaking usually comprehensible English, she insists that she's a feline, minus whiskers and a long, thin tail - having lost both in a mutation experiment.
As a junior sports, arts and entertainment management major, along with a newly declared psychology minor, Kelly is celebrating her second year in the treasurer position, yet continuing to wonder why Confluence permits her to "handle" the quantities of money it has raised. This is stated figuratively, since she doesn't actually roam the streets of Pittsburgh with a money bag, out of fear of being robbed.
Presently, Kelly intends to graduate with a business degree, and find employment in the corporate side of the performing arts industry. Though she desires to perform onstage, she also desires to eat and keep a roof over her head, and as a musical theatre graduate, she might not have the finances to do either. Good luck to anyone who tries. Some wise words for Point Park University's student body: "The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." ~Friedrich Nietzsche
Existential View on Education and Career
IMPORTANT CONFLUENCE LINKS:
Check out our Facebook page
Confluence Events
Confluence Committees
Confluence Members
The Confluence Humanistic Journal
Interested in being a member of Confluence?
Contact Faculty Advisor Robert McInerney, Ph.D., at rmcinerney@pointpark.edu.
* Point Park University is located in Downtown Pittsburgh near the confluence of three rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers). Confluence means “with flow” or “streaming together” and describes both a place as well as continuous change. As streams come together they are momentarily both individual and undivided; they are never static, never simply one or many. The interstice of self with other within the University is the point of confluence. And so, we imagine all students as temporary points of confluence drawn to learn, engage, relate and change.
Oh yeah, and join Confluence to get a button:
