Verlanda Alexandre

Psychology ‘20

Verlanda was raised in a large family with five siblings. Her mother worked as a schoolteacher and her father earned a living as an artisan, making crafts for the local tourism market. Verlanda’s family did not have the means to pay for all of their children to attend school, so she prepared herself early on to earn academic scholarships, all the while maintaining her student leadership and volunteering responsibilities. She remembers “In the 9th grade, a friend told me about HELP. I said, ‘Oh my God, I have to keep working hard because I must have this opportunity’”.

While in university, Verlanda was connected to two internships through HELP career services. “Many of my classmates at school didn’t have the opportunity to do internships and practice what they learned at university. Thanks to this opportunity, I was always two steps ahead of my peers. But I never missed the chance to share with them what I learned.”

Today, Verlanda is a psychologist at a non-governmental organization called SOS Childrens’ Village, working with school children and responsible for detecting child abuse. “HELP is what has allowed me to make a difference. At work, I don’t only do my job and then go home; I help with so many other things. I learned how to stay involved in my community at HELP.” She is often congratulated by her colleagues for her broad range of skills and knowledge. “People say ‘Oh! You can do that too? How do you know that? You are just the psychologist!’ I learned all of it at HELP.”