Alumna Publishes Autism Journal for Parents

Jenan (Jen) Merheb graduated in 2007 from NSU's Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in psychology and a minor in business. Merheb has now started her own company―Sunflower Bee Inc.―that makes use of the interdisciplinary education she received at NSU. Her first product to combine psychology and business is "A Day at a Time" Parent's Journal Series: Autism, published in June 2008.

Childhood autism has become an increasingly diagnosed condition and often takes parents off guard. "Most of these children's parents are overwhelmed by the news," Merheb says. "After the parent is aware of the problem, the daily routine begins. Every little thing is important and it is difficult to keep track."

Merheb says she wants to make tracking a lot easier. So instead of offering empty diary pages, "A Day at a Time" Parent's Journal Series: Autism includes fill-in-the-blank pages specifically designed to easily record activities, observations, and treatments. This is especially important for parents as they communicate with medical professionals and share information about their child's development over time.

Merheb says she founded Sunflower Bee after being diagnosed with a thyroid condition. She wanted to use a journal to track her symptoms and follow developing patterns, but when searching for an appropriate resource found only blank books. "I wanted a journal with a less time-consuming, easy-to-use format," she says.

There is another reason for Sunflower Bee's focus. Merheb is a parent too and knows the difficulties for both children and their parents when faced with learning disabilities and disease. "I wanted to give parents who are going through any type of condition with their child an easier way to cope," Merheb says. "I would also like to follow up with other journals in the future."

Publishing―whether it's a journal for parents of autistic children or a novel with a psychological theme―is an example of a career choice for psychology students that's outside of traditional psychology and health care services.

“Students with a bachelor’s degree in psychology will find that their training in the science of human behavior allows them to successfully work in many varied fields (e.g. social work, advertising, personnel positions, or as mental health workers),” says Jaime Tartar, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “At NSU, the psychology faculty is trained in a range of disciplines within psychology, from social psychology to biological psychology.” The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences encourages students to think creatively about their futures and to consider unique niches in which to apply their knowledge and skills.

For more information about programs in psychology and other social sciences, go to the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences.