John Augusta MS '26: Airman, father, student

After completing an undergraduate degree at UMass Lowell and an enlistment contract of Air Force active duty service, John Augusta ‘26 decided to return to school to earn his master's degree.

Through a military Advanced Academic Degree (AAD) program, Augusta completed his MS in research psychology while juggling the responsibilities of being an active service member and a father of two young children.

Balancing responsibilities

"I'm a father, a husband, a student, and a member of the military. Each role comes with a unique set of responsibilities, which can be challenging to balance," he said.

"When I started this program, my son had just turned one, and my daughter was born this past fall semester. There were a lot of late nights and early mornings. I had to figure out how to be the best husband and dad I could be while striving to succeed as a student and fulfill my responsibilities with the Air Force."

"It can be stressful if you don't have support, which luckily has not been my experience."

Support from faculty

Augusta's faculty advisor, Professor Trina Kershaw, supported him throughout the program. "She has been so understanding about my home life responsibilities and the strict timeline I'm on with the military. She made sure we did exactly what we needed from start to finish so that I would graduate on time. Dr. Kershaw is a wonderful person and an extremely intelligent advisor."

Why study psychology?

"I'm fascinated by how people think, behave, and relate to their environment. I'm interested in how people make decisions based on all the information they receive from the world around them."

Research

As a psychology MS student, Augusta had the opportunity to design his own thesis project.

"I wanted to relate my psychology research to my duties in the Air Force and my interest in decision-making. Whether you're an airman or in a leadership role, you need to make good decisions. I'm interested in finding out how to make the best decisions."

Augusta's project is titled "Cognitive and Metacognitive Predictors of Probabilistic Learning: Individual Differences in the Weather Prediction Task." It investigates how people make decisions in probabilistic environments.

To do so, Augusta used computer games to test subjects' cognitive and metacognitive processes. He designed games that investigate how intelligence, memory, and learning processes impact decision-making. "I study what processes lead people to learn how to make effective decisions in situations when probability matters," he said.

"Evidence shows that you can train metacognitive processes, which I can bring back to the Air Force. We can teach, train, and practice ways to make better decisions."

Benefits of the MS program

Augusta noted that the biggest benefits of the psychology MS program are the skills he acquired.

"When you read about academic programs, you think, ‘Am I really going to gain what they're advertising?' But UMass Dartmouth fulfilled everything they sold on paper. There were so many opportunities to conduct my own research, help with others' research, utilize lab spaces, and collaborate with faculty. I walked away with skills and new perspectives that I can bring to the next phase of my life. I'm better off than when I started this program."

Advice to his children

"If I could tell my kids one thing I've learned from this experience, I would tell them not to be afraid to pursue something that's hard. Don't let the requirements, red tape, or anything that makes achieving a goal difficult prevent you from trying. Do it anyway, even if it's scary and you're unsure. You never lose; you just learn a lesson. If it doesn't work, that's okay, because you still leave knowing more than you did when you started."

Augusta credits the psychology department, his wife, and Professor Trina Kershaw for helping him throughout the program.

After graduating, Augusta moved to a new Air Force base to continue his duty and utilize what he learned during his MS. 

“Whether you’re an airman or in a leadership role, you need to make good decisions. I’m interested in finding out how to make the best decisions.”