First Puerto Rican & Latina Joins Baylor U.'s Counseling Center

Dr. Jamie Lopez, a 2017 graduate of Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU), has been hired as a Post-Doctoral Psychology Fellow by the Baylor University Counseling Center (BUCC) in Waco, Texas. She is the first Puerto Rican and first Latina to complete Baylor’s nationally accredited doctoral internship, and the first Baylor doctoral intern to be hired by BUCC.

“The BUCC internship program integrates theory, research, and clinical practice to help its interns develop into strong generalist practitioners,” says Dr. Lopez, who also facilitates a support group – Latinas Unidas – for Baylor’s female Hispanic students. “It offers a great learning experience and working environment in a prestigious university setting, and is an ideal fit for my personal and professional goals.”

Lopez is a native of Bayamon and Coamo in Puerto Rico, and a 2007 graduate of Saint Patrick’s Bilingual School in Guayama. After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology and Mental Health in 2011, she enrolled in Ponce Health Sciences University’s Psychology Program. She graduated from PHSU with a PsyD degree in Clinical Psychology in 2017.

“One of the biggest benefits of PHSU’s PsyD program is its outpatient clinical rotations,” says Dr. Lopez, whose primary responsibilities at BUCC include providing therapy (individual, group, online) and crisis intervention for students as well as clinical supervision for advanced doctoral students from Baylor’s Psychology Department. “Thanks to these rotations, I had the opportunity to work with different populations in a variety of settings – including domestic violence programs, hospitals, community based programs, and private practice offices. I also appreciated PHSU’s Standardized Patient Program, the school’s clinical teaching and evaluation unit, which provided me with excellent preparation to work with clients and patients.”

Dr. James Marsh, Executive Director for Counseling Services at BUCC, believes that Lopez has natural ability as a therapist.

“Our students like Dr. Lopez and often request for her to be their therapist,” says Dr. Marsh. “Along with her many duties at BUCC, she also provides training to our staff on working with minority students and Hispanic students in particular. She’s a wonderful professional and colleague, and we’re very excited to have her with us.”