Can I/O Psychology Fix Work? This Grad Thinks So—and Proves It!

In this episode of UMBC Mic’d Up, we explore the inspiring journey of Aakanksha Sangepavu, M.P.S. '25, I/O Psychology, who transformed curiosity into a powerful career path in workplace psychology. 

From her roots in India to conducting meaningful research at the USDA, Aakanksha shares how she found purpose in helping organizations become more human-centered, inclusive, and effective. 

She reflects on key lessons from her time in the I/O Psychology graduate program at UMBC at Shady Grove—highlighting the value of context, collaboration, and continuous learning. 

Whether you're interested in psychology, leadership, or just passionate about meaningful work, this conversation offers powerful insights and encouragement. 

🔗 Learn more about UMBC's programs by visiting: https://professionalprograms.umbc.edu/industrial-organizational-psychology/ 

Transcript

Dennise Cardona  08:39:27  
Today's episode is all about growth, resilience and what it really means to build a meaningful career in workplace psychology. You're going to hear how one UMBC graduate went from unfamiliar territory to finding her purpose, learning not just how to study people at work, but how to make work better for people. If you have ever wondered how education translates into impact, this is one story that you're not going to want to miss. So it's great to have you here on the UMBC Mic'd Up podcast. Welcome.

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:39:58  
Thank you so much. The pleasure is mine. Thank you for providing the platform where I could come up sharing my journey what I've learned. It is really thoughtful. Thank you for

Dennise Cardona  08:40:08  
that. You're welcome the pleasure as always. We love hearing from students, from former students, from graduates. We just love hearing your journey. So you have had a unique journey from growing up in India to earning a master's degree in IO Psychology here at UMBC, Shady Grove, what inspired you to pursue this field, and how did the path lead you to graduate school?

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:40:31  
So talking about my journey at UMBC was both shaped by curiosity and purpose. Growing up in India where education and collective well being was deeply valued, I was always interested to understand people, their behaviors, motivation and challenges in general. So I started my academic path in general psychology in my undergrad, and then proceeded to get my graduate certificate in human resource. And while I enjoy learning about organization, structure and management, something really always felt was missing. I wanted to dig a little more deeper into why people behaved the way they did at work, and how that impacted organizations outcome on the whole when I came across the field of industrial organizational psychology, it felt like it was everything, and it instantly clicked for me, and it combined my interest in human resource and or human behavior, with my passion for creating a better workplace system for everyone, and the decision to pursue my masters in the USA and specifically at UMBC, was driven By the program's focus on the applied learning theories. I didn't just want to learn theories, but I also wanted the opportunity to actually apply the theories and the ideas that I'm learning in real world environment. So the UMBC is MPS or the professional program has offered that balance. It brought me into the conversation with practitioners, gave me hands on projects, and also allowed to allowed me to dive deeper into academic community that allowed shape not only my professional goals, but also who I am today. So that's all about my journey.

Dennise Cardona  08:42:27  
Wow, that's fantastic to hear thinking back on your time in the program and your work experiences along the way, what's the most valuable professional lesson that you have learned so far

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:42:41  
every day was a learning lesson for me, but if I have to pick one valuable lesson I've learned so far, both in my program and through my work, it is the context that I think matters the most. You can have the best interventions or the most well designed trainings, more statistically significant or the data analysis. But if you don't understand the environment in which you're working. It can be all flat, let's say, for example, during one of my projects in after I got my graduate certificate in human resource management, so I was working with a startup then, and we designed a training model for employees, onboarding on paper, it looked great. It was everything that we needed, but when it came to presenting to the stakeholders, we realized we haven't fully understood or accounted for the time and resources constraints for their team. So this experience taught me that being a great IO psychologist or the human resource manager isn't just about technical accuracy, but also about listening, adapting and to co creating solutions that actually work in a unique system where people operate.

Dennise Cardona  08:44:06  
Yeah, you speak to my heart in that because I am an instructional designer as well as I work here at UMBC in the marketing department, but my business is, I'm an instructional designer consultant. So the whole analysis, and talking it out, the needs analysis, figuring out what is at stake, who is at stake, what are the reasons? Sources so important. And I think a lot of us have run into that, especially in the beginning, when we're when we dipping our toes in the field. We yeah, sometimes we just we overlook that, or even people who are seasoned, we overlook it, because there are no budgetary resources for even beginning an analysis project. A lot of times it's not even considered that's not even put into a budget from an organizational standpoint, because they don't consider that it's a necessary component sometimes. So it's that is a tight rope that is hard to walk sometimes. But what a great learning lesson to be able to have experienced that, and then having that knowledge. Now you realize, going into any kind of project like that, where you are working with people, helping, bringing value to them, is CO creating. Like you said, I loved how you used that word. That's really a great process. And you taught me, you reminded me the importance of that as well, that co creation and hey, we we learn a lot from our lessons. Don't we agree on that Capstone? You had a capstone when you worked, when you were in the program, and it was with the USDA data science training program. Is that correct? Yes, that's right. All right. Can you walk us through that experience and share what it taught you about applying IO psychology in complex organizations.

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:45:53  
Sure. So my capstone project was with the United States Department of Agriculture's data science training program. So it was one of the most eye opening experiences. I should say it was both challenging while rewarding as well. Here in my capstone project, I had the opportunity to evaluate the program's effectiveness across multiple cohorts, from starting from 2021 when the program was first launched, to the 2025 which is ongoing now. During this capstone I conducted focus groups with participants who completed the program or who were enrolled or currently taking the program, or who, or even who drops out. I also reviewed the internal data to look at trends over time, completion rates, the mentorship in mentorship, sorry, mentorship, involvement and satisfaction rates. So what stood out for me was how the the IO psychology can inform real change in large organizations on the whole, for instance, issues like inconsistency on boarding, limited mentorship engagement or mismatch between the expectations of the participants on the and the program outcomes weren't just logical problems, but they were linked to motivation, learning, retention and psychological safety as well. So applying theories like Crick's Patrick training valuation model or principles of adult learning theory helped me provide data driven recommendations to United States Department of Agriculture, which they could use and informed are in current use to enhance their future cohorts. So it made me realize how powerful our tools in IO psychology can be when applied thoughtfully and collaboratively in complex and real world settings.

Dennise Cardona  08:47:50  
Absolutely. How has your understanding of workplace psychology deepened through this program? And are there any specific theories or tools that you now see through a much more practical lens?

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:48:05  
Yes, when we in general, speak to stakeholders that does not have a background in IO psychology, when we talk to them about the importance of understanding what motivates the participants are in my capstone, let's say, in my capstone, when I had the discussion with the stakeholders or the team that was working closely with data science training program, when concepts like motivation or self determination, theories are brought up. I, as an graduate in IO psychology, felt like they did not really understand the importance of motivation on the whole because when you in general, talk about theories like motivation, it sounds very familiar. But also when it comes to workplace, it is not what we all think it is right. So talking about motivation, especially in workplace, is completely different. About What Motivates you in general, dealing with stakeholders, and this program in general helped me gain skills like collaboration and understanding how important it was to also make your point very clear to the opposite party. Yeah. So this capstone has allowed me to use tools like collaboration stakeholder communications more deeper than what I've thought that would be possible. So these are few of the tools I. I think I look now in a different lens than that I used to before, and

Dennise Cardona  08:49:32  
I think that's so important what you said, because those kind of skills that you're talking about collaboration, communication, that's something that as we move into the AI technology revolution, right? Ai can't do that. They need that human centered approach, and so those skills are so paramount to really hone in on. And that's, I think that's really what's going to set the best players apart from others, is having those wonderful communication and professional oriented type of skills.

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:50:02  
Yeah, adding to what you said, combining it with empathy. It's very important to combine these with empathy, to understand what the stakeholder requirements are, for you to be able to understand the organization or the whole or come up with solutions. So it is very important to combine to for you to be able to understand where and what you need.

Dennise Cardona  08:50:21  
So you're passionate about making workplaces more inclusive and people centered. What does a human workplace look like to you, and how do you think organizations can get closer to that? Yeah,

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:50:34  
so for me, a truly human workplace is one where people don't really have to check part of them outside the door. So it's a place where they can feel respected, included or heard, I think, which is missing in today's workplace. I feel that their mental health is also very important, and it is very important for the organization to make the employees feel that their mental health is supported, where they where their differences are embraced, where they can grow. I mean where I think the organization values the growth of their employees is valued as much as their outputs. I think that doesn't mean we ignore performance or accountability, but it means we reframe them through the lens of empathy, like I've already mentioned. So I think organizations can get closer to this idea by involving employees in decision making, training leaders to be more emotionally intelligent, or designing policies that reflects people's lived experiences or lived realities. It has to be a continuous effort to balance the business goals and human needs. I think this is the kind of organization that brings the concepts of human into ideal practices.

Dennise Cardona  08:52:04  
Yeah, absolutely. So the power of mentorship. Let's talk about that a little bit. Who are some of the mentors or peers who had a big impact on your journey, and how has their support helped shape the way you now approach learning and leadership?

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:52:22  
So this is something I should say that I have that has actually been one of the most supporting backbone in my journey here in USA, and through my masters talking about mentorship in IO psychology, especially at UMBC, I felt like all the facilitators, all the professors, were really kind. I personally felt so comfortable reaching out to everybody, whether being it with the challenges that I was facing in the course or with the content everybody were really sweet and mentorship has been such an important part of this journey. And if I have to list one person particularly, talk about one person particularly I that stood out for me. I would always say to his Dr Elliot las, who is also my capstone advisor, being able to complete my capstone project within the given period was really challenging, and being able to work with Dr Elliot personally throughout my capstone journey was incredible. So he he he not only guided me through the research process, but he also encouraged me to trust my voice as a practitioner, because as a graduate student, I always doubted my abilities, whether I would be able to do it, whether I would be able to personally implement the theories that I've learned in The practice. So he was always there, encouraging me, helping me to trust my voices. Like I said, basically how it worked was it felt like my advisor was the lens that helped me look through the path more clearly. And I will also take a moment to acknowledge the support of my capstone buddy, who is also, who is Nisha or Nidhi Mishra? She was the alumni of our college too, from IO psychology. What surprised me the most was that her willingness to come forward to support somebody that was going through the path she already dealing with her personal life and. Work, life, balancing both. She took time to help me or to mentor me through my journey. Was really incredible. How motivated should somebody be to be able to come forward, make time to help somebody that is also going through that path? Right? I should say, during those late night conversations or the meetings with my capstone buddy. These were the times that I really sat down with myself, also thinking about how I can also be somebody that can be a part of some a greater organization, contributing to a greater change. So mentorship, somebody that received mentorship, didn't just help me that way, but also it shaped me as a person for future, where it helped me how I can shape myself to be a mentor to somebody that is going to take a path, take same path in the future. So it has been really powerful. Mentorship has played a very vital role in my journey, in my masters

Dennise Cardona  08:55:36  
as professionals in our wherever we are, in our journeys, it's really important to make that contribution by paying it forward, to help others who come behind us and hopefully go ahead of us, even through that help and that companionship and teaching, sharing, lessons learned and things of that sort, because that I agree, mentors have shaped my future, shaped who I am today, and shaped person I plan to be in the future. Yeah. Message to anybody out there, considering if you should be a mentor or not, you can really make the difference in a professional's life by being that person to help, be that soundboard, and those who are beginning your journey, educational journey, and maybe not yet right into the field that you're going to be in, but eventually you will be there. Keep that lens. Keep that lens of like you just said, wanting to be one in the future, because the world needs more of those.

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:56:34  
I completely believe that there's always something new to learn. And when you're really busy in your workplace and coming back to help or coming back to mentor, somebody that is currently learning new techniques that could actually also help you learn something that is coming up in the world today. Oh

Dennise Cardona  08:56:51  
yes, indeed. Oh my gosh. There's so much we can learn from each other. It's amazing. And staying open to that is a huge gift for anybody, because that is what is going to help get you just into a purposeful, driven life. Let's talk about future students, right? We're on this mentorship subject for someone thinking about maybe entering the IO psychology program at UMBC, what is one piece of advice that you would give them that you wish someone maybe had told you at the start?

Aakanksha Sangepavu  08:57:25  
If I were to give one piece of advice and say that don't be afraid to explore. I understand that there are so many parts out there which have already been walked by millions of people that can be seen clear or that can be seen assuring, but only when you dare to take part that has never been worked. I think that's when you land up with the most incredible destinations. So I would say, don't be afraid in exploring your choices in courses, especially I personally, I came into this program thinking I had clear path, but I discovered new interests and new strengths along the way, especially through applied projects, guest lectures and peer conversations in general. I also want to say that don't wait for permissions to lead. There are so many opportunities to contribute, right even as a student, whether it is proposing new research angles or mentoring a peer, or initiating a class discussion, this is your time to experiment, build confidence. And yeah, talking about that, I think conference is one, one key factor I think everybody should wear every day before getting out of your bed. I am very confident that I will be in a position that I've always dreamt as a child. So don't be pulled back by somebody else's opinion. Have your own carry your confidence like you own it, and shape your professional identity in general. And finally, stay curious, stay open minded. Be ready to relearn in general, like unlearn and relearn, which is, again, one of the social psychology theory. So be open to unlearning what you've learned previously and learning new concepts. Be really open to conversation. Sit down to understand what also the. What the other peer also think is important, because that allows you to these are the opportunities where you're actually building skills like communication, collaboration, etc. Io. Psychology is a field that has constantly been evolving, right? And for the best practitioner, you are the one who keeps learning. So yeah, always be open to learning. What are you doing now? So I've recently graduated. I think it's been exactly one month, four days now, and immediately after I graduated, I made it a point that I didn't want to take a break because from academics, because as a person, I've always been very curious to learning more and more concepts that can build me my personal skills. So currently, I'm enrolled in few of the certificate courses. And also I am very happy to announce that I am one of the directors in one of the startups back in India. So I'm working with this organization, which is focused to provide platforms to graduates to showcase the talent. So I'm working with a few of my graduate friends that graduated in different courses. So this startup is a research center where we are all working with graduates and current students who have innovative ideas. So we're working closely with them to help them, providing them with the platform or resources that can help them come up with more innovative ideas that can be very useful for our society today. So yeah, I'm now one of the directors in that startup.

Dennise Cardona  09:01:05  
Sounds wonderful. Congratulations. On that. So innovative, so exciting, really. Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing, for coming on the show, for sharing your journey with us. It's been very inspiring. And for anyone who's listening, thank you so much for tuning in and being here with us in this conversation. We really appreciate that. If you'd like to learn more about our offerings, just visit the link in the description. Thank you so much.