Tina Nelson shares her personal story of overcoming an intense fear of rats while working as a research assistant, and how her new-found closeness to the animals changed the way she sees human behavior.

Tina Nelson was a high school dropout and mother at age 16, never expecting she’d be much more than “a statistic,” though she liked working and helping people. Each new job brought opportunities for personal growth, yet she realized her lack of formal education gave her little chance to advance. At age 40, Tina left the workforce to pursue a formal education; she will graduate Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Experimental Psychology in May 2018.