“I transferred to STAC because I was drawn to STAC’s small campus and I was looking for a closer learning experience with my professors.”
Anabel Garcia has always found the study of the human mind fascinating. After deciding to transfer to STAC from St. John’s University, she was not entirely sure which major she wanted to study. However, after learning about STAC’s Psychology and Business programs, she knew that the combination of knowledge from these two programs would lead her to success in the future.
Some unique characteristic of Anabel’s program is that she learns about the brain and how human behavior affects many of our daily interactions through psychology. Using her minor in business, Anabel aspires to one day specialize in I/O (Industrial and Organizational) psychology, which entails working with companies and employees within the corporate environment.
Dr. Ben Wagner says, “I would say that Anabel is a natural when it comes to working with people. That’s one reason I’m not surprised that she is interested in pursuing a career where she uses her insights from psychology to help businesses run more smoothly. Many people don’t realize it, but an understanding of basic human psychology is integral to success in the business world. Interpersonal communication, persuasion, group dynamics, and leadership—these are all topics that our major courses emphasize, many of them in great detail. Our goal for our majors is that when they graduate with a B.S. in Psychology, they are prepared to go on either to graduate school to pursue certification to act as therapists, counselors, or professional psychologists, or to go right into the labor force, where their training in psychology will give them the advantages they’ll need to succeed in the workplace.”
Aside from her studies, Anabel is also very involved with campus clubs and organizations. She is currently the Secretary for the Student Government Association (SGA), a Resident Assistant, a Student Representative to the Student Development Committee of STAC’s Board of Trustees, and a Social Justice & Equity (SJE) Member. All these positions that Anabel holds on campus allow her to socialize and help others. The incredible qualities that Anabel possesses are sure to make her an outstanding psychologist in the future. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and writing.
Anabel says her advice for incoming students is to never lose sight of your goals and the person you are working towards becoming. She also says that college comes with its rewards and challenges but always keep going and do not give up, the four years fly by.