Career Development Center

Tiger Tale: Melody Bacon ‘78

February 5, 2013

“The emphasis on critical evaluation and writing skills has served me well in my graduate studies”

Little did I know when I started as a Freshman in 1974 that one of my classes – The Greek Mind – would factor into my work as a Jungian psychologist many years later.  In fact, my entire experience at Oxy - both curricular and extracurricular – has continued to influence my career on many levels.  The emphasis on critical evaluation and writing skills has served me well in my graduate studies, culminating in my dissertation research on grief in divorce.  That, in turn, resulted in a recently published book on the same topic.  The breadth of coursework that I enjoyed, and along with it, the opportunity to discover my now deeply held passion in Analytic psychology is a direct result of the liberal arts [education I received] at Occidental College. Years later, I was thrilled to watch my son graduate from Oxy with a degree in Economics.  He is now employed as a Financial Analyst for Southern California Edison, which [spurred from] an internship he learned about during an Oxy graduate’s visit to campus.  I know his experience at Oxy gave him both the knowledge and skills that have contributed to his success and will continue to do so throughout his career as well.  

Melody Bacon, Ph.D Class of ‘78
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Irvine campus
Chair, Marriage and Family Therapy Programs
Los Angeles, Westwood and Irvine campuses
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology