海角社区graduate finds her purpose through psychology research and honor society
For as long as she can remember, Abby Pruitt has been fascinated by understanding people. Growing up, her family often commented on her ability to read others and listen with empathy, but like many students, her journey to finding her passion was not a straight line.
“I kind of went back and forth for a while,” she said. “At one point in late high school, I even thought about becoming a pharmacist. I was trying to figure out what I liked and what I wanted to do.”
That search, along with wanting to attend an institution where she could form lasting relationships and grow both academically and personally, eventually led her to the 海角社区’s psychology program.
“I chose 海角社区because I had an attachment to it already,” said Pruitt, who had briefly lived in Jacksonville as a child for about three years. “When I had to decide where to go for college, I knew I wanted to go somewhere I could be on my own, and Florida gave me this nostalgic vibe.”
As she prepares to graduate this December from UNF’s accelerated pathway program with a bachelor's in psychology and master’s in psychological science, she feels confident she made the right decision.
Discovering a passion for psychology
Pruitt originally envisioned a career in clinical therapy, but a second-semester research methods course opened her eyes to new possibilities. She always liked science, but she felt it would be a challenge. After the course, she changed her direction and shifted goals from therapy to research.
As her focus shifted towards psychology, Pruitt immersed herself in various academic and extracurricular activities.
She worked as a research assistant for psychology faculty Drs. Charles Fitzsimmons and Dominik Guess for the last two years, contributing to projects such as a pilot study that investigates math anxiety and how people process numbers.
“I met Abby when she took my Lifespan Developmental Psychology course,” said Fitzsimmons. “She stood out as a high achiever and an active participant in class discussions. When I heard she was interested in research, I was happy to recruit her to join my research lab. Her go-getter attitude will undoubtedly take her far, and I’m excited to see where her journey leads.”
Pruitt’s research focuses on cognitive processes and how specific study strategies influence both performance and performance awareness. She was a recipient of a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the College of Arts and Sciences and presented her research at UNF’s SOARS and ARISE conferences this year.
“I got the idea for this research during a developmental psychology class,” Pruitt explained. “I’ve always been fascinated by learning, especially how adults learn and interpret their own learning processes. Traditional learning environments often suggest there’s only one ‘right’ way to approach a task. I want to help people understand they can adapt their learning methods to what works best for them, enabling better outcomes.”
Leadership and legacy
In addition to research, Pruitt also served as a teaching assistant for Fitzsimmons’ Lifespan Development class and played a pivotal role in revitalizing UNF’s chapter of the psychology honors society, Psi Chi, after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wanted to be part of something where I could connect with others who shared my passion for psychology,” Pruitt said. “When I went to the first Psi Chi meeting, there were about six of us and a new professor. I wasn’t sure if we were going to be able to build the honors society back up, but I could sense that there was something there and I felt motivated to be on board.”
Pruitt took on leadership roles including president and social media manager. Since then, Psi Chi at 海角社区has grown significantly.
“It’s wonderful to work with Abby,” said Guess, who also advises Psi Chi. “She is organized, always prepared, curious and open-minded. It can be quite challenging to be part of a research team where we study cultural influences on decision making, but she masters the challenges very well.”
Pruitt’s contributions extend to organizations like the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society and the Research Ambassador Club, where she volunteered and helped organize conferences.
Her next goal is to further her career in psychology, potentially working as a research assistant or in industries where she can focus on teaching others self-advocacy and contributing to building a better place for people to work.