Katie is a second year I/O Psychology graduate student at UNI. For the past two years Katie has excelled not only as a graduate student, but also as the Program Assistant for the Graduate College. She is involved in a number of different activities including planning social events for graduate students, chairing the Graduate Student Advisory Board, Graduate Student Social Network, and Graduate Student Ambassador program. In these roles Katie helps promote and enhance graduate education at UNI and provides a friendly face to the graduate community.
Katie is also involved in a variety of extra curricular activities on campus. She is the Co-President of UNI's chapter for the Society of Human Resource Management and also serves as the Executive Director of Graduate Student Affairs for the Northern Iowa Student Government.
Katie chose UNI for her undergraduate degree in psychology and decided to continue graduate school in UNI's I/O Psychology graduate program due to the University's well-known reputation as one of the top I/O programs in the Midwest. "I knew I would get a great education, plus I loved the campus, atmosphere, and faculty, so I decided to stay," said Kuker.
When asked what she enjoyed most about UNI's I/O Psychology program Katie said, "The faculty is very supportive and willing to help graduate students succeed in any way possible. The program also exceeds in the recommended training requirements for a master's program, and I have been actively involved in projects inside and outside the classroom that have not only been a good experience, but also helpful when interviewing for positions upon graduating."
After completing her degree, Katie's future plans are to work in a Human Resource position in the Cedar Valley area where she and her husband Brad Bredehoeft live.
In addition to her active involvement on campus, Katie also enjoys other activities outside of her academic endeavors such as working out, cooking, reading, watching movies, shopping, and traveling.
Katie's advice to new and current graduate students is to, "Never be afraid to ask for help after you've tried your best to figure it out on your own. The faculty and staff are very supportive at UNI. Also, make sure to utilize the resources on campus because everyone here wants you to succeed." Great words of wisdom from an experienced and successful graduate student!
