Zoila Fabian ’01
Bilingual School Psychologist shares her first-gen story and work experience as a Psychologist in the field.
I am a first-generation college and graduate student who immigrated from Guatemala at age 9. My life focus since college has been working to make the lives of children and adolescents who suffer from developmental and/or mental health concerns succeed academically and in life. From 2004-2012 I worked at YAI-NIPD with children and adults from age 3 to adulthood with developmental disabilities and co-morbid psychiatric illnesses, providing support for families in the assessment, referral, and therapeutic process under the supervision of licensed psychologists. I have also worked synchronously in the NYC public school system, as a school psychologist from 2004-present. My current focus is in the assessment of bilingual students from 9-12th grade who have or are suspected of having learning and/or developmental delays using psychometric tools; recommendation and placement.
While attending Purchase College, I had the honor of being part of the EOP program. Whether I was struggling with a specific class, needed funding for a special project, or just needed moral support to keep moving forward, EOP counselors were there to support me and guide me in the right direction.
Zoila graduated from SUNY Purchase College, Class of 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology. She also earned a Master of Science Degree in Education with a concentration in School Psychology with a bilingual-Spanish Extension from Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, Class of 2004.