Lai Wai Man (Norris)
“I went to MAPP because of my students,” says Lai Wai Man (Master of Applied Positive Psychology, University of Pennsylvania `24) known to her Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) peers as Norris.
Master of Applied Positive Psychology
Nadia Almheiri
When Nadia Almheiri (Master of Applied Positive Psychology ’21) discovered positive psychology, she had already made a career change to focus on well-being: an experienced human resources professional and government employee of the United Arab Emirates, Nadia decided to establish her own business offering emotional and social intelligence workshops for government employees and private companies such as banks, as well as occasional public workshops. “There were so many things I wanted to do for my well-being. I wanted to learn things, do things, go places.
Victoria Roebuck
“I was blown away by the idea that there was a science behind well-being,” says Victoria Roebuck (Master of Applied Positive Psychology ’20). As an early-career manager at a marketing analytics startup, Victoria was curious about human potential and how to coach people to grow and improve. Through Penn’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP), she gained insight into human flourishing (and a new career).
Martin Seligman offers catastrophizers ways to build resilience with a more optimistic mindset
In this Time Magazine article, Dr. Martin Seligman of the Penn LPS Master of Applied Positive Psychology program talks about catastrophizing—when one’s reaction to a negative event is the assumption that things will only get worse. His research demonstrates that this type of thinking impedes happiness and “is a major risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
Joseph Glaser-Reich
Not everyone gets the job of their dreams, but Joseph Glaser-Reich started planning and preparing in college for his career as a rescue swimmer. “It's one of those jobs where you don't really have to wake up in the morning and wonder whether what you're doing is making a difference or not,” he laughs. Survival technicians like Joe are trained to maintain and repair survival equipment, administer emergency medical assistance, and work with a tightly coordinated team of aviation specialists to carry out maritime rescues via helicopter.
Noof Mohammed Al Jenibi
“We have a huge responsibility,” says Noof Mohammed Al Jenibi (Master of Applied Positive Psychology ’18). “Now that we’ve had a chance to be a part of the positive psychology community at Penn, we have to give back by helping others and being generous with our knowledge.” During her time in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program, Noof studied evidence-based research and practical applications with world-class theorists and practitioners. “Imagine reading your favorite books, then having the chance to meet the authors and listen to their perspective.
Patrice Francis
“MAPP, for me, was a 20-year dream,” says Patrice Francis (Master of Applied Positive Psychology ’25). Patrice first encountered Penn’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) in her early years while working in Los Angeles as a facilitator for Wraparound, a care management process for youth in crisis. After serving as a guidance counselor in The Bahamas, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a PsyD in Clinical Psychology.
Alla Klymenko
“I learned about positive psychology probably 15 years ago,” begins Ukrainian psychologist Alla Klymenko (MAPP ’24). When she started reading books about the science of happiness by Penn’s Dr. Marty Seligman, she was inspired. “I can't say that I was a super happy person or positive thinker or optimist,” she shares. “That's why, when I found those books by Marty, I thought, ‘Okay, I totally need this.’ I just felt that happiness was my topic—something I would like to know more about and move forward with.”
Mariam Vahradyan
After Mariam Vahradyan (Master of Applied Positive Psychology `24) completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she spent a few years working in education management: first for the largest children’s book publisher, Scholastic, then for a nonprofit in Yerevan, Armenia—the city where she was born and where she was excited to return after residing in New York City for most of her life. “I’d been in that corporate culture for a few years, and I really missed learning and talking about ideas and concepts in nuanced ways,” she reflects.
Learning through service: How MAPP students created a roadmap to resilience for public servants
During the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program, students work in small groups to partner with organizations from around the world and put their positive psychology expertise to work. Each service learning project studies the organization's structure, mission, and goals and develops an actionable plan to make an immediate impact and advance the mission.
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