About Me

My name is Brianna Schonhiutt I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio. I am a student at The Ohio State University majoring in psychology and double minoring in neuroscience and substance misuse and addiction. In the future, I hope to attend graduate school in order to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). Eventually, I would like to open a private practice to treat patients with behavioral health conditions. I would like my main focus to be on the treatment of adolescent psychiatric disorders such as PSTD, OCD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), ADHD, borderline personality disorder (BPD), eating disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) and more.

During my time at Ohio State, I completed the Health Sciences Scholars program and became president of the OSU Positive Psychology Club. I also spent time working in two different research labs, one studying cognitive development and the other studying mood and personality studies. I continued my interest in psychiatry by becoming a certified chemical dependency counselor assistant (CDCA) and worked under an addiction medicine specialist in an inpatient detox facility. Mental health is a field that I am incredibly passionate about and I look forward to my future in this field.

 

Year in Review

Overall, I had a great first year at Ohio State. I learned so much about my academic strengths and weaknesses and how I would like to continue my future education here. This year I became a member of the executive board of The Positive Psychology Club. I participated in numerous service events through Health Science Scholars and The Positive Psychology Club. I also was hired as a Facility Assistant at Jesse Owens South, Jesse Owens North and The North Recreation Center. This year made me realize that I would like to participate in research at tOSU and I am currently applying to as many as I can that interest me. Although I faced some social and academic obstacles, I can now happily call Ohio State my home and say that I will continue to take advantage of the amazing opportunities that are offered here.

G.O.A.L.S

I am the President of Ohio State’s Positive Psychology Club. In our club, we host a variety of different service events in order to give back. During my first semester at OSU, I organized a Thanksgiving fundraiser for the club in the Union to raise money for the MidOhio Food Bank. I recruited general members of the club to be volunteers and take shifts in the Union to take donations and have donators sign a “What I am grateful for…” board. For other service hours, I also made cards for sick children at Wexner Medical Center with the club. For the remaining service hours, I volunteered at First Step Recovery detox center in Warren, Ohio as a certified Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCA). Here, I interviewed patients and performed medical transcription.

This year I was hired to work in The Cognitive Development lab at OSU as a research assistant. Twice a week I would attend a different preschool and perform psychological studies created by a post-doctoral student. I worked with all types of preschool aged children and gained useful experience working with children. I learned so much about the field of cognitive psychology and what working in a research lab is really like. I look forward to continuing to work for the lab and possibly conducting my own research project.

In order to advance my academic enrichment, I decided to pursue two minors, neuroscience and substance misuse and addiction. I did this in order to expand my knowledge in the psychology and mental health field. Along with this, I am now working towards phase two of my Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCA) license. After I receive this, I will then be able to shadow substance abuse counselors and receive my official Chemical Dependency Counselor license. By the time I get my bachelor’s degree, I will also have my counseling license. Not only will this make me more marketable for graduate school, but it will give me valuable experience in the addiction field.

Career

Brianna R. Schonhiutt

Curriculum Vitae

September 2021

The Ohio State University 

Email: briannaschonhiutt@gmail.com

EDUCATION

Expected Graduation

Spring 2022

 B.S. Psychology 

Minor in Neuroscience

Minor in Substance Misuse and Addiction 

The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
2018 Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCA)

Completed 40 hours of Chemical Dependency Coursework 

Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board (Columbus, OH)
2017 College Credit Plus Program

23 college credit hours completed in high school

Cuyahoga Community College (Highland Hills, OH)
2017 High School Diploma

Honors Diploma

4.2 GPA

Solon High School (Solon, OH)

HONORS AND AWARDS

2017 Academic Scholar Award
2018-2021 Ohio State University Dean’s List 

RELEVANT COURSEWORK

Human Anatomy  A
Basic and Practical Microbiology A
Science of Human Nutrition A
Fundamental Pharmacology  A
Human Physiology A
Psychology of Adolescence  A
Theories and Biological Basis of Substance Misuse A
Neurobiology of Behavior 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

 A
2019-2020 Research Assistant 

Mood and Personality Studies Lab (MAPS) (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

  • Chosen to assist doctoral candidate, Dr. Cregg on dissertation project studying well-being techniques in subjects that scored high on anxiety and depression scales
  • Communicated with a variety of participants on study protocol
  • Administered pre- and post- test questionaries to subjects
  • Performed data entry on Excel
2019-2020 In- Lab Research Assistant 

Cognitive Development Lab (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

  • Promoted to work in-lab on longitudinal and cross-sectional studies 
  • Administered multiple different cognitive psychology based research studies for children ages 3-8
  • Performed in-lab tasks such as organizing participant information, communicating with participants regarding appointments, and data entry through Excel
2018- 2019 School Research Assistant 

Cognitive Development Lab (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

  • Administered multiple studies researching working memory, metacognition and categorization in children 
  • Traveled to pre-schools in Columbus area to work with children from various socioeconomic backgrounds on a one-on-one basis
  • Performed data entry tasks in the lab after working with each participant

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

2019- Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant 

Parkman Recovery Center (Warren, OH)
  • Assisted licensed chemical dependency counselors (LCDC) in an inpatient detox center
  • Offered extra support, care, and empathy to patients struggling with the emotional toll of drug and alcohol detoxification
  • Assisted in running group therapy in groups of 5-10
2018- Medical Assistant 

Parkman Recovery Center (Warren, OH)
  • Employed under board certified addiction medicine physician, Dr. Lydon
  • Deescalated situations involving challenging or emotionally charged patients
  • Observed nurse practitioners with experience working with specialized populations such as adolescent, LGBTQ+, and lower socioeconomic status
  • Performed medical transcription during patient history and physical intake exams 
  • Assisted in taking vital signs
  • Explained detox protocol to patients 

LEADERSHIP

2019-2021 President 

The Positive Psychology Club (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH) 

  • Delivered presentations on various positive psychology topics at club meetings
  • Elected two consecutive years 
  • Oversaw executive board members and general body members
  • Delegated duties to executive board members
  • Worked collaboratively with executive board members to choose on weekly meeting topics
2018-2019 Treasurer 

The Positive Psychology Club (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

  • Collaborated with other executive board members on how to distribute club funds each semester
  • Managed club budget of approximately $400 per year
  • Collected member dues 
2018-2019 Peer Mentor 

Health Sciences Scholars (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

  • Selected to mentor a first-year student in the HSS program in the same major
  • Kept frequent communication with first-year mentee to help mentor through major courses
  • Attended health science based professional development workshops with mentee 
2017-2018 Event Coordinator 

The Positive Psychology Club (The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH)

  • Devised creative club events by integrating suggestions from all members 
  • Organized and facilitated club fundraisers, service events, and social activities

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

2017-2018 The JADE Foundation

Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH) 
  • Worked in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic to improve the quality of life for adolescent and young adult cancer patients by providing comfort and entertainment items to relieve the emotional and physical stress of lengthy hospitalizations and treatments
  • Followed strict hospital protocol to sterilize and distribute comfort items to each patient on the Leukemia, Lymphoma and Transplant units
  • Touched base with various patients on a weekly basis to provide support and empathy
Nov 2017 Thanksgiving Gratitude Fundraiser

Ohio Union (Columbus, OH)

  • In charge of organizing fundraising event for the Positive Psychology Club to raise money for The Mid-Ohio Food Bank
  • Used creative skills to come up with fundraising ideas and build fundraising booth
  • Recruited volunteers and delegated service shifts to club members

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Delta Omega Kappa Pre-Health Sorority (DOK)

Health Sciences Scholars (HSS) 

Artifacts

For my service project I volunteered at First Step Recovery center in Warren, OH

Mission Statement: “First Step is a medically licensed subacute detox and treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction. Our goal is to provide high-quality and effective substance dependence treatment services in Northeastern Ohio. The treatments we provide are evidence-based & medically accredited.”

At the detox center I…

  • Performed medical transcription from home
  • Took notes during patient’s history and physical appointments and medical progress check ups
  • Transferred patient information from nursing notes

This experience taught me so much about the addiction medicine field and stigma surrounding substance abuse disorders.