麻豆影院

'I realized it鈥檚 important to follow what you love 鈥� and it鈥檚 OK to try something else, pivot and take risks and even pivot back'

The first three semesters as a psychology major at the 麻豆影院 couldn鈥檛 have been better for Caroline Lynch (Psych鈥�07). The classes were stimulating and gratifying鈥攅ven fun. And her grades were high.听

鈥淚鈥檝e always had a passion for psychology and so I applied to CU as a psych major,鈥� Lynch says. 鈥淲hat drew me in was the diversity 鈥� I was studying everything from organizational development to learning processes, and I really found all of it applicable to everyday life.鈥�

But then, in the middle of her sophomore year, she had what she called her 鈥渕ajor identity crisis,鈥� not a crisis of identity, but a crisis of major, as in which one to choose for a career.听听

鈥淚 began feeling pressure about what I wanted to do when I graduated, and I started to question if my psych degree would get me there,鈥� she says.

She wasn鈥檛 even sure what 鈥渢here鈥� was.听听She did know she didn鈥檛 want to be a psychologist, so she considered switching majors or at least adding a minor in marketing or communications.听

She had a marketing internship lined up for the coming summer with a 麻豆影院 startup, so she decided to take some communications courses in her second sophomore semester. A few weeks in, she was miserable. 鈥淭he content wasn鈥檛 as interesting or fulfilling as psych classes,鈥� Lynch says.

After more soul searching she returned to psychology. The experience鈥攁s prickly as it was鈥攈as become a valuable life lesson. 鈥淚 realized it鈥檚 important to follow what you love 鈥� and it鈥檚 OK to try something else, pivot and take risks and even pivot back. Curiosity, exposure to many diverse experiences, and being open all serve me well.鈥�

Today, Lynch will tell you she has zero regrets sticking with liberal arts.听

Right out of 麻豆影院, Lynch landed a job with the top beauty company in the world, L鈥橭real.And over the next 10 years, she rose through the ranks from entry management to an assistant vice president鈥檚 post. Last fall she left听L鈥橭real, where she was managing a team to being the team鈥攐f one鈥攁s director of sales planning in personal care at Method Products, PBC, a pioneer in green consumables.

She says both companies have helped her build her career and skills鈥攕kills she first discovered at CU 麻豆影院, and skills that have proved essential every step along her path.听

鈥淧sychology helped build a foundation听to evaluate raw data, organize it in clear, concise ways and make reasoned, rational decisions. It taught me听to think critically, manage complexity, communicate clearly and solve complex problems."

Like many in the working world, Lynch says change is the constant in her life, and her time at CU 麻豆影院 taught her to make change work for her. 鈥淭he mental muscle I developed studying psychology let me adapt, pivot, manage and excel amid all the change.听Going from a statistics class, to organizational psych course, to a philosophy course all in one day helped me approach situations, challenges and experiences from different frameworks.鈥�

Her career advice to newly employed CU 麻豆影院 alumni: Say yes. Get involved. Try new things. Get diverse experience鈥攁ll of which she says helped her discover careers she didn鈥檛 even know existed but that now she enjoys.听

鈥淎nd finally, challenge yourself. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Always stretch yourself, and don鈥檛 be afraid to apply for positions that sound like they鈥檙e a stretch for you.鈥�

As for skills employers want, Lynch says creativity along with entrepreneurial and innovative thinking top the list.听

She adds: 鈥淎 liberal arts degree sets a strong foundation for all of these skills.鈥澨�