In this series, Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences is shining the spotlight on distinguished members of the Class of 2022 from a wide array of disciplines.
An Elon College Fellow and Odyssey Scholar, Miso Kim ’22 plans to use her psychology degree to pursue a counseling career.
Kim is the recipient of the Department of Psychology’s 2022 Seena Granowsky Outstanding Psychology Student Award, and served as a member of Psi Chi Honor Society, a member of the department’s diversity, equity and inclusion research task force called R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Racial Equity for Students of Psychology: Emending our Curriculum and Teaching). She volunteered as a Korean translator with the Elon Academy and worked as an assistant in the financial aid office all four years.
What made you want to become a psychology major?
Fun fact, Elon was the only school I applied to as a psychology major as the university does not offer a criminal justice studies major. However, I am glad that fate worked in the way that it did because I found my passion to help others by being an empathetic and active listener. I also find it intriguing how psychology principles are interwoven through every aspect of life and how applicable the course content is in my personal life.
Tell us about your undergraduate research.
My research is in how Korean and Korean-American parents support early childhood numeracy. I selected this topic because I knew from personal experience and identity as a Korean-American, I wanted to do research within my cultural population. I wanted to know if my personal experiences growing up and learning math were unique to me or something that could be generalized to a population at large. I presented my research at conferences such as World Class Day 4, SURF, Mathematical Cognition Learning Society (MCLS), Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) and National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
Who was your mentor and how did they shape your scholarship?
My research mentor, Dr. Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, and I have worked together for the past three years on my undergraduate research. My project would not have come to fruition without her guidance. She advised me countless times on how to scientifically write and critically think. She also has been a listening ear in times of crisis and …….
Source: https://www.elon.edu/u/news/2022/05/11/elongrad-2022-spotlight-miso-kim-psychology/