Academic Counselor
More about Shirley (She/Her):
B.A. in Psychology, Minor in Counseling, Minor in Human Sexuality Studies, San Francisco State University
M.S. in Counseling, Concentrations: School, College, and Career, San Francisco State University
My approach to advising is to promote an egalitarian relationship with my students. I hope to be able to inspire students to become more independent and to take part in making decisions about their own educational experiences. Additionally, I always believe in the importance of meeting students where they are at. As a counselor, I listen to what my students share with me and reflect to them on the common themes I hear in their stories. I also use a strengths-based approach; I believe in the essence of highlighting individuals’ strengths in helping them achieve their personal, professional, and career goals. Lastly, coming from a counseling background, I take a holistic approach when providing advising/counseling to my students.
I come from a low-income, first-generation student background. Therefore, I felt lost when I started my college journey. Throughout my years in high school and college, I received support from several counselors and academic advisors, and from then on, I had been inspired to become someone like them to support students who may come from similar backgrounds as me.
It really excites me when it comes to interacting with students at SFSU because I completed both my undergraduate and graduate studies at this institution! I think it is also a great experience to be able to work with students coming from such diverse populations, where everybody may have various similarities and differences from one another.
My favorite part of my job is being able to see the growth in my students throughout time and witnessing students becoming more independent and self-sufficient. It also brings me joy and feelings of accomplishment when students appreciate my support.
This is a tough one...I’m going to have to tie it between PSY 440: Social Psychology and PSY 450: Variations in Human Sexuality, both of which I took at SF State. I really enjoyed the topics presented in both courses as they have contributed to my knowledge of human interactions.
Hmm... I don’t think I’ve actually ever had an unusual job.
Utilize your resources, both on campus and in your communities! Take advantage of the Gator Pass because you paid for it as part of your tuition! Don’t be shy! Visit professors’ office hours and/or talk to your TAs (if you have one, or more than one, in your classes). And, if it’s a feasible option for you, try studying abroad! I studied abroad in Melbourne, Australia for my last semester at SFSU and it was such a great experience!
I like playing the piano, and I took a few years of piano lessons when I was younger, but don’t ask me about my piano skill level because I never took the test for it to find out. I also love singing, and for this one, I never took any proper lessons but had just been watching video tutorials on YouTube to self-learn.