Page 18 - FINAL San Diego Woman interactive

Women of Distinction

woman of many talents,
A Judy Sundayo is a writer,
a psychologist, an educa-
tor, an advocate, and a most
compassionate soul. One of
five children, Judy came from
a professional family; her Photo Courtesy of Judy Sundayo
father was a physician and her
mother a legal secretary. Raised
to know the importance of
education, Judy views herself
as a poet and a lifelong learner.
Her love of poetry began at the
tender age of 11. In 2015, Judy
along with two other talented
writers published a book enti-
tled “The GUMBO Pot Poems,”
which received a five-star
Readers’ Favorite book review
and won the 2016 Pinnacle
Book Achievement Award for
Poetry. Not only does the book
reveal some provocative poems
and equally exceptional recipes
for Gumbo, it also celebrates
the lives of seldom-heralded
African American legends from
the San Diego community. To
nurture, motivate and inspire
others through her writing, is
the fulfillment of a long-held Judy Sundayo, Ph.D.
dream for Judy.
Her dream began in
Washington, D.C., where Judy
attended the American Uni-
versity (A.U.) as a psychology I learned from my experience at the time. It was only after found Southern California so
major. “American University’s there, is that we humans are reading my friend’s psycholo- alluring in terms of weather
Psychology Department was just as responsive to positive gy textbooks that my interest and environment, that 45 years
experimentally oriented at that rewards. When we are fed in human behavior started to later, she is still here! Judy
time. Each of us had a rat and encouragement, love and atten- blossom. And once that hap- discovered her new university
a pigeon, and we all wore lab tion we can be shaped by others pened, I knew I had to take the was where Abraham Maslow,
coats. Our professors taught us or even better, we can choose to next step and go all the way!” Victor Frankl and Virginia
the scientific method, including nourish ourselves with positive The next step after gradu- Satir had taught. It was there
how to conduct experiments affirmations and shape our own ating from A.U. was graduate Judy met long-time friend
and properly log our findings. destinies.” school. Judy found one with and co-author, Alyce Smith
One day we had the assignment Early on, Judy was not a humanistic approach at the Cooper, known locally as the
of making our pigeons turn aware of her destiny. I asked her United States International Golden Brown Fairy God-
around in circles. To accom- if she always knew she would University (U.S.I.U.) in San mother. For over 45 years, they
plish this, as soon as the pigeon go into the field of psychology. Diego, where one of the most have been friends and writing
began to turn, we would release As it turns out, she did not. “I respected theorists in the coun- pals, having begun as graduate
a food pellet. The pigeon began as an art major. I had try, Carl Rogers was teaching. fellows.
quickly learned if it turned, it won numerous awards in art She valued the opportunity to Judy earned a master’s
could eat. Through this process, throughout high school. In fact, be one of his students. Judy degree in human behavior
known as “shaping,” the pigeon I was the youngest high school drove cross-country with her from U.S.I.U. Afterwards, Judy
would soon be spinning around student to have a painting on younger brother (her father worked for a time at the Pro-
in a circle within only 10 min- exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery would not allow her to drive fessional School for Psycho-
utes of the experiment. What of Art in Washington D.C. the 3,000 miles alone!) and logical Studies, where she had

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