A blog post from SOLES Ambassador and MA in Counseling with specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling JoJo Lee: 
It is hard to believe that this will be my last year in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. I still remember the first day when I walked into SOLES; I was amazed by the gorgeous building and exquisite interior design. Two years later, I am still amazed, but in a different way. Prior to being admitted into the program, I would have never been able to picture myself as being one of the founders of a student organization, a presenter at multiple professional psychological conferences, an author in multiple manuscripts, a student representative, and a student who travels to different countries for classes. I am grateful for the support of faculty and for the opportunities presented to me in SOLES.

Today, I walk into SOLES with a sense of pride and a heart full of thanksgiving. I feel very thankful and appreciative to have a very generous advisor, Dr. Ronn Johnson and a fantastic, supportive cohort. I realize now that all these relationships and opportunities wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t ASK. It sounds easy, but for whatever reason it can be difficult to do. Graduate students may graduate to become the future colleagues of our professors or classmates. Therefore, I believe it is extremely important to start building up a professional network early. Instead of hiding from the professors, keep knocking on their doors until they remember your name! In my opinion, because we are still in the process of learning, we have more “free passes” to make errors. I suggest our first year students not waste time to use those “free passes.” Be an adventurer and start exploring opportunities from our faculty and organizations. SOLES has so many resources available, check them out!
If you are not sure where to start, here are some links that may help you:
Student organizations at SOLES:
http://www.sandiego.edu/soles/about-soles/student-life/
More campus involvement opportunities at USD:
http://www.sandiego.edu/torerolife/get_involved/
Faculty and their research interests:
http://www.sandiego.edu/soles/directory/