Dec. 31, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Professor Julia Sobesky Carey did not set out to teach.
“When I graduated high school, the message I heard was to get a college degree and a job would follow, and everything would fall into place,” Carey said. “I was under the impression that a degree would somehow grant me access to success”.
Carey soon realized this was not necessarily the case. She received a bachelor’s degree in Biopsychology and Cognitive Science from the University of Michigan. Unsure of what to do next, she began doing laboratory research at the University of Colorado Boulder while also studying for her master’s and her doctorate degrees in Psychology and Neuroscience.
While doing laboratory research, Carey randomly took a side job teaching for additional income and discovered her passion. She has now been teaching at GRCC for more than four years.
“I think it’s common for students to think they should have it all figured out right away, but that wasn’t the case for me!” she said. “If you are still unsure, my best advice is to say ‘yes!’ to opportunities as they come up, you never know where it could lead.”
Carey found her passion in teaching from engaging with students. Watching a student’s eyes get wide as they make a new connection to class material, or receiving emails from former students telling her they got accepted into a program they hoped for. These little moments show the big impact one class, teacher, or program can have on a student.
The Psychology department has experts in their fields who are passionate about sharing their knowledge with students. All of the professors are supportive of their students and want to see them succeed.
“I truly believe we offer the same quality and expertise you would find in any university,” Carey said.
Carey encourages students to look beyond their degree. Know what job you are pursuing and get the degree that will help you get there. If you’re not sure it’s the right path, do it anyway and stay open to other opportunities that come along the way!
More information about the Psychology Department can be found here.