Educational Journey of a Psychology Student

June 6, 2025

Educational Journey of a Psychology Student at Mars Hill University

by Catherine Varela-Ruiz

Dr. Jonna Kwiatkowski, professor and chair of the Psychology and Social Sciences Program, has an impact on every student she meets. As her advisee, I have had a wonderful experience with Dr. Kwiatkowski as my advisor, mentor, and professor.

Dr. Kwiatkowski is a tough professor in the sense that her courses are mentally demanding and require a challenging work ethic. However, she is also a caring professor who is always ready to help her students in any way she can. I have received her help and support countless times. In moments in which I had no strength to continue my journey as a student at Mars Hill University due to mental health challenges, Dr. Kwiatkowski has been there to lift my spirits and offer encouragement. In some instances, she has been the sole reason for my resilience as a first-generation student also coping with depression and anxiety.

Acknowledgement is also due to the rest of the psychology department at MHU. As a psychology major myself, I can attest that it is easy to seek advice and mentorship from any of the psychology professors. They are so knowledgeable in the areas where students often need help, such as studying techniques, mental health concerns, and more.

Dr. Kelly Spencer, assistant professor at MHU, is also a helping hand to many students. Dr. Spencer once personally sat down with me and helped me reason through a dark time as a student. Financial and mental health stressors had led to me contemplate dropping out of school all together. Dr. Spencer, being the compassionate professor she is, sat down with me to research ways to get on medication for my conditions. She handed me tissues and was with me every step of the way in the process to getting medication online. Dr. Spencer once provided me with an opportunity to serve the Asheville community in a way consistent with my minor, Women’s and Gender Studies at MHU. She has always been a representation of kindness and inclusion.

Professor Illysa Hamlin is another pillar of the psychology department on campus. Previously a counselor, Hamlin is now a visiting instructor of psychology. Hamlin is the true example of a professor who has spent time helping her students as a counselor in the past and now as an instructor. As much of the psychology department staff, she is often occupied with the duty of a professor and the heart of a helper.

As a psychology major, I can say that my fundamental motivation is to help others. I want to help other young people who are facing struggles similar to mine. I want to be an example to others so that they can achieve their goals despite the ways in which they may convince themselves that they are not capable. That they can identify as more than just their psychological struggles. This seems to be the common road traveled for all those who decide to pursue psychology in their lifetime.

Psychology, however, is not an easy topic of study. This major for me has been learning how the brain works, of course, but also how to view others and myself in a different light. Most people go their entire lives not thinking about what others are mentally going through or how symptoms may be present in themselves. I remember the first piece of advice I heard in the course, Introduction to Psychology, was that we should try our best to not self-diagnose. That is guidance every person choosing psychology as their major in higher education must hear. In the midst of learning about the function of the brain, many students like me struggle with mental health themselves.

Professors such as Jonna Kwiatkowski, Kelly Spencer, and Illysa Hamlin make it all possible for students like me. Without caring and knowledgeable professors who help beyond the classroom, students in the psychology field would probably face greater struggles in pursuing their undergrad degrees. Some professors, such as Kwiatkowski, even share that they are first-generation students thus providing a sense of belonging for some students and confidence to achieve goals far beyond their original plans.

Professors in the psychology department are a testament that achieving success does not mean one has to sacrifice a helping heart.

My experience with these professors and the psychology department as a whole at MHU have been among the most rewarding in my life. I hold a deep appreciation for the psychology department as the professors have not only aided my education and career goals, but they have been a guiding light to all students who cross their path. I will graduate with the help of all the psychology professors who have gone above and beyond their job description.