They scurry around the department to classes, labs, and seminars. We see them present and read their reaction papers. Let’s take some time to learn about the people behind the PowerPoints. Graduate students are essential to the research enterprise and valued members of any department with a graduate program. The goal of the “meet the graduate students” series is to learn more about the experiences of these key players in the Department of Psychology at UNCG.
Let’s meet one of our (at the time of this article) second year students, Karina Seebaluck. Karina began at UNCG in the Fall 2024 semester. She works with Dr. Michaeline Jensen and is enrolled in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Karina holds a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Spanish Languages and Literature from North Carolina State University. Along with this double major, Karina completed minors in Cognitive Science and Nonprofit Studies.
Path to and Experiences in Graduate School
What inspired you to begin graduate studies?
Lots of things! I wanted to be the adult that I wish I had when I was younger! Growing up, I didn’t see many people who looked like me in the world of mental health, and this inspired me to be a part of the push to provide accessible and stigma-free mental health services to children of immigrants! I also wanted to represent my family in the academic space, as they made lots of sacrifices so that my brothers and I could grow up in the U.S.
Can you describe your research area and interests?
At the moment, I’m interested in parent-child relationships and dyadic communication in the context of immigrant families and acculturation. I’m also interested in how technology use can help/hurt parent-child dyads living apart and how parents can protect against emerging mental health symptoms in youth. This can always change as I read and consume more research!
What is something you’ve accomplished at UNCG of which you’re especially proud?
I got through the first year of graduate school in one piece (especially the second semester with taking 4 classes AND TA’ing as an academic advisor all at once)! Adjusting to a new environment was challenging, but I built a support system and learned a lot about myself along the way!
What advice would you give to students aspiring to attend graduate school?
If you want to apply, then do it! If you don’t know anyone else who has applied/attended graduate school and you want to apply, then do it! Graduate programs benefit from having variety in the same room: folks from different walks of life (first generation college students, student parents, international students, etc), various undergrad majors (philosophy, cog sci, etc), various concentrations (cognitive, clinical, developmental, social, etc), various post-grad career goals (therapist, assessor, professor, BCBA, researcher, etc). Learning from peers is what makes graduate school FUN!
Fun Facts!
Where are you from?
Raleigh, North Carolina AND Wake Forest, North Carolina!
What do you like to do outside of school?
I enjoy working out, cooking new recipes, thrifting, and spending quality time with my friends and family!
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Outside of school, I want to be a polyglot (fluent in multiple languages). Right now, I’m continuing my journey with learning Spanish along with French and Portuguese!
Could you share a favorite movie, book, or band that you would recommend to others?
eeThe Self-Obsessed Podcast by Tam Kaur! This podcast got me through the first year of graduate school, she gives a lot of great advice/homework steps for how women can navigate independence and their 20s while remaining true to themselves; I highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about themselves + feel more comfortable in their own skin! She also has a book called “Buy Yourself the Damn Flowers”!
