Yan Shan Yu ’24
Hometown: Guangdong, China
Degree: MA in Forensic Psychology
Programs: Honors, McNair
Career Aspiration: Psychologist

“I’ve always had a passion for psychology and John Jay is known for having an exceptional forensic psychology program. Throughout my educational journey, I’ve had the opportunity to conduct research with respected leaders in the field. I’ve also built up my resume with hands-on, career-enhancing experiences through internships and externships,” says Shan Yu. Her mentors Dr. Ernest Lee, McNair assistant director, and Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic, professor of psychology encouraged her to earn an MA. “I could talk to Dr. Lee about anything, including my future career plans. As I conducted my research, Dr. Jeglic always reassured me that a master’s degree was well within my reach.”

Shan Yu plans to present her latest research projects at this year’s Research and Creativity Expo. “I’m conducting two research projects focusing on sexual grooming. One looks at the relation to the victim’s age and the other on the victim’s gender. All of my research has put me on the right path to becoming a psychologist who can help treat victims of sex-related crimes. Ultimately, I hope my work helps encourage victims to report sex crimes and makes these topics less taboo.”