Kelsey Hess, BA ’17, was interview by Cadence Carpenter, an honors student pursuing a doctorate in pharmacy.
As an ONU student, Dr. Kelsey Hess uncovered her passion for psychology and teaching, paving the way for a rewarding career as a psychology professor at Eastern University in Philadelphia, Pa.
On the track to being tenured, she’s an assistant professor in the field of legal psychology, conducting research alongside her teaching load. With her passion for teaching, student advising, and lab work, one might think she was dead set on this career from the start. In reality, her path was more complex as she discovered her true calling through the support of faculty at and beyond ONU.
Initially a criminal justice major at ONU, she later added a second major in psychology, building connections with ONU psychology professors Dr. Kristie Payment and Dr. Phil Zoladz. Both become influential in her future. Dr. Zoladz fostered her love of laboratory research by onboarding her as a junior, and Dr. Payment encouraged her to become a teacher’s assistant, where she discovered her aptitude for teaching.
Additionally, as a member of the Honors Program, Kelsey chose to conduct her honors contract with Dr. Payment and further dive into the Stroop Test from an auditory perspective. These combined experiences helped her succeed in obtaining postgraduate opportunities and largely shaped her choice to pursue academia.
Nowadays, one of her favorite aspects of her job is helping students better themselves in a similar vein to her mentors at ONU. Whether through job interview practice or drop-in visits, she always welcomes young minds into her office for questions and a safe space.
Guiding her advice to these students years later is a memorable experience she had at ONU. She was a member of the Ethics Bowl the year it was started on campus. For the team’s first tournament, the Honors Program advisor had the students wear bright orange sweaters, because he said everyone at the event would be dressed in themes.
Upon arrival, the ONU Ethics Bowl team was the only one not dressed in formal attire. While the experience may have been initially embarrassing, it also taught Kelsey that conformity is overrated, and challenges promote growth.
Stemming from this experience, her advice to ONU students is to seek out opportunities and people who push you beyond your comfort zone. Honors students who come in with a good GPA should look beyond the grades and find purpose outside the classroom, she added.