HERRON: What are your plans for your thesis research project?

MCLANE: I would like my research to provide new or fresh insight into our understanding of eating disorders, spark discussions about the role of body image as it pertains to marginalized bodies, and humanize people who struggle with body image issues among professionals and anyone curious about the topic.

Part of my role in assisting Eileen is to find authors and therapists who share similar interests and concerns about the role of body image as a concept that is not limited to eating disorder research or treatment. Hopefully, this research will lead to publication or will inform future research. I am also assisting in research into the role of body image, among other disorders and medical conditions, in lifespan development.

HERRON: What was one of your most memorable Herron experiences, whether in class, on or off campus?

MCLANE: At my previous internship within an Alzheimer's and dementia unit, I worked with a woman whose short-term memory was limited from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. My classmate, Jung Eun Jang, and I worked together to guide art therapy groups for her unit. In one of our final sessions, we introduced a directive to create individual puzzle pieces for participants to put together in one giant collaborative artwork. She said her puzzle piece reminded her of an island resort where her and her husband vacationed. She was so proud to talk about it. Although she couldn't remember my or Jung Eun's names, she came back two days afterward to ask for her island resort puzzle piece so she could hang it in her room.

HERRON: What populations do you want to work with now or in the future once you have your credentials as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and your Licensure as a Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA)?

MCLANE: My current areas of interest include eating disorders, depression, anxiety, LGBTQIA+ individuals, women's shelters, refugees, adoption, personality disorders, and war veterans.

HERRON: What does being an Elite 50 student mean to you?

MCLANE: I am very proud of the work I have done and the opportunities provided by the art therapy program. I feel honored to be recognized, but I love that it reflects the unique opportunities to enhance my role in advocacy. Being a recipient of the Elite 50 award indicates how the students can advance education and social justice on and off campus and reveals how passionate students can be in their current and future professional endeavors.