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As a full-time graduate student in the Master of Social Work program at New Mexico State University, my work is dedicated to research in human behavior, social support systems, and applied social work. Over the last six years, I have examined how people think, adapt, make decisions, and respond within family, cultural, organizational, and community environments. As a U.S. Navy veteran, I bring practical experience with structured systems, service-connected life, and the conditions that shape access to care and stability.
Biography
Courtney Encinias has developed a research foundation in psychology through programs grounded in psychological science, human behavior, and applied inquiry. Her work reflects the focus of UMass Global’s B.A. in Psychology, including research methods, human development, abnormal psychology, critical thinking, statistics, and cross-cultural psychology. These areas support her work as a researcher focused on how people think, develop, adapt, and respond within social, cultural, and organizational environments. Over the last six years, Courtney’s research has centered on human behavior, decision-making, development, and support systems.
Her academic work connects psychology to real-world human service and support settings. Her studies include attention to research design, APA standards, ethics, and data-based inquiry, giving her work a structured foundation rather than a purely opinion-based one. Courtney’s research reflects an applied psychology approach that examines people, behavioral patterns, and support systems in practical settings. This background gives her work relevance across family life, stress, identity, culture, life-span development, and community support.
Her research perspective is also shaped by her honorable military experience in the United States Navy. From 2013 to 2015, she served in Gaeta, Italy, where her duties included second-class boat operations, boat preservation, port operations, and duty responsibilities. From 2016 to 2018, she served in San Diego, California, where her work included weight testing, rigging, and maintenance responsibilities.
Courtney’s graduate-level direction in social work builds on her psychology foundation by moving from the study of individual behavior into advanced practice with people, families, organizations, and communities. As a current scholar in New Mexico State University’s Master of Social Work program, her studies connect social work to multicultural practice, policy, organizational leadership, vulnerable populations, ethical service, and community-based support. Her academic and research background reflects her primary identity as a researcher committed to understanding people, examining support systems, and applying research in ways that improve individual and community well-being. This positions her work at the intersection of psychology, social work, military experience, and applied systems research.
Contact
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(888) 477-9314