Doctoral Student at Temple University’s Fox School of Business
Organizational Psychology major
College of Arts and Sciences,School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Pursuing his passion
Kristian Gardner ’20 changed his major to organizational psychology. “I really wanted to find something that truly interested me, regardless of the job outlook and career prospects,” he says.
Academic achiever
Kristian earned an Undergraduate Research Scholar Award (USRA), was a member of the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program and graduated from Rider with a 4.0 GPA.
After transferring to Rider from Mercer County Community College, Kristian Gardner ’20 overcame joblessness, homelessness and food insecurity while earning his bachelor's. Now, he's on track to earn his Ph.D. after being accepted into every program he applied to. Kristian is currently a graduate student in the organizational behavior and management program at Temple University’s Fox School of Business on a presidential fellowship. Read his full story of resilience in Rider Magazine.
Why Kristian chose Rider's psychology program:
“To say that the psychology program at Rider University is outstanding is an understatement. The faculty is invested in the social and academic welfare of their students, as illustrated by the creation of the Psychology Learning Community and their commitment to empirical research. Every professor that I've spoken to was more than willing to share their recent projects and warmly welcome all psychology students who have a passion to learn."
Kristian's advice for future psychology students:
"Rider's psychology program is much more than reading, writing, and taking exams. I highly recommend that anyone who is interested in learning more about how humans behave and operate in a perpetually evolving world either major or minor in this esteemed program. Thanks to the indelible impact of the Psychology Department, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology and plan become a professor as well.”
