UAC Psychology’s alumna Caroline Joung was accepted to Stony Brook University’s graduate program in Psychology, in New York, United States. She will soon start her journey as a Ph.D. student in the Social and Health Psychology program as a member of Dr. Stacey B. Scott’s lab.

As she celebrates this transition, Caroline reflects on her sophomore year at UAC when she was extremely concerned about her future. To navigate the uncertainty of the future, she sought out various opportunities in which she could explore her academic passions.

A course on health psychology (PSY 3460), offered by Dr. Kimberly Bowen at Salt Lake City Campus, helped her to find interest in the field of health psychology. Moreover, her paper co-authored with Dr. Porter Morgan, which analyzed the Korean culture of Hagwon, and a project collaborated with Dr. Jae Won Oh, which examined the relationship between cardiovascular disease and depression, strengthened her interests in social and health psychology.

From her various experiences at the University of Utah, Caroline realized that her true passion was in researching how people are affected by health and how their lives can be improved. She now aspires to become a professor in the field of social and health psychology one day.

For those PSY students who hope to follow in Caroline’s footsteps, she offers several pieces of valuable advice. First, she encourages students not to be afraid about the future and to actively seek out research opportunities. Second, she suggests students to seek out guidance and support from the many professors who are eager and ready to assist students. Professors are the best source of learning once students take the initiative to engage with them.

The UAC PSY department wishes the best of luck for Caroline’s academic journey and hopes that many of our students will also take initiative in shaping their futures, drawing from their unique experiences as PSY majors.