The Catalyst covers stories on students, professors and other faculty all over campus, however, it is uncommon for readers to be given a chance to look behind the curtain and see who’s behind the article.

Despina Drakopoulis is a senior at SUNY Old Westbury majoring in psychology. She also started this semester as an intern for The Catalyst, which is the university’s student news site.

Her interest in journalism began last semester after taking an elective journalism course with Professor Wendy Rhodes, who had reached out, suggesting she sit in on meetings with The Catalyst.

This suggestion would soon evolve into the internship that she is taking this semester.

“Journalism isn’t something I dread doing,” said Drakopoulis.

While it is not unusual to be in an organization that does not correlate to your major, Drakopoulis manages to express passion in both psychology and journalism alike.

As a teen, Drakopoulis struggled finding out where to place herself in the professional world. That was the case until she had taken a few psychology courses in high school.

“I was really good at talking to people and giving advice, and when I took psychology I felt like it was the only subject I was really consistent in,” she said.

She decided to make a career out of something she was a natural at, but now that she is an intern at The Catalyst, she visualizes a future where she can explore her options.

“My real goal is to open my own business,” Drakopoulis said. “I want to open my own practice up. I could connect with other psychologists. I would love that, but before that I could be a school psychologist.”

Now, Drakopoulis is pursuing her degree while working around forty hours a week on top of her internship with The Catalyst.

“Literally, the only time I have to do work is a five-hour gap between classes and sometimes after work,” she said. “I know when it comes to the weekend, I will not be opening my computer up.”

Despite the workload, interning for The Catalyst has helped her integrate with campus life.

“I’m not in any clubs — The Catalyst is what I’m in right now,” she said. “I just want to leave the school having done something that isn’t just class,” she said.

As she ventures towards her career, she works hard to expand her social network, which is a far cry from a time when she defined herself as a shy person. She emphasized that engaging with a variety of subjects can serve as new perspectives that benefit someone personally and academically.

“I was really shy, but now that I have to do interviews on my own, that will help me in psychology,” said Drakopoulis of the people skills she has learned while reporting.

Drakopoulis continues to pursue a degree in psychology while interning for The Catalyst. Her story serves as a manual for those who want to escape their personal bubble and explore their future.

“Professor Rhodes hyped me up a lot, so I do it for myself and I do it for the school,” she said. “I want to leave the school with something.”