PSY Student Spotlight – Srishti Gowda

December 20, 2024 - Shelly DeJong, Emily Johnson

srishti-gowda-headshot.jpegMeet Srishti Gowda, a fourth-year psychology major and a member of the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI), a program at Michigan State University that was designed to support and empower women students with leadership aspirations.   

 

Why do you study psychology? 

I took AP Psychology as a junior in high school and loved it! From then on, I knew I wanted to be a psychology major in college. I loved how applicable it was to the real world, and I found that psychology is closely intertwined with every aspect of our daily lives. As a student interested in pursuing a medical career, this would be crucial to remain a well-rounded student while simultaneously taking the prerequisites to apply to medical school. Also, the advisors in the psychology department are absolutely amazing, flexible, welcoming, and always willing to answer any questions I have! 

 

What interested you about WLI? 

I joined the WLI in the fall of 2022 as a sophomore. I was interested in the WLI due to the opportunity to learn from the Executive Board, attend networking events and gain leadership skills by interacting with professional women in a variety of fields who are MSU alumni. I am so appreciative and grateful to the WLI Executive Board for their mentorship, as the WLI offers me the chance to belong to a circle of future resilient women leaders at MSU. Additionally, the scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and ability to cultivate my strengths through programs like Gallup’s Clifton Strengths assessment, appealed to me. I also ended up becoming a recipient of the Carolyn Jackson Legacy Award, which has only been possible through the support I’ve received from the Women’s Leadership Institute. In the future, I would love to give back and empower female students with leadership aspirations like me. 

 

What are you looking forward to this year with WLI? 

I am looking forward to our coffee hours! I love getting to know the Executive Board in a more casual setting. I also look forward to our in-person skill building workshops and networking events, like the cluster conversations. There is a plethora of opportunities to strengthen our leadership skills here at the WLI and the sense of community is unparalleled. Therefore, my favorite aspect of the WLI this year and every year has always been the camaraderie between my fellow student cohort members! It’s an honor to learn from each other as future women leaders, since it is such a remarkable, diverse group of students from every college on campus pursuing completely different subjects and majors! Getting to know these incredible women has been some of my most treasured memories during my time at MSU! 

 

What are your goals for the future?  

I will be attending medical school at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine this July. After taking a class about psychological disorders (PSY 280), I became interested in psychiatry as a specialty but am keeping my options open! I look forward to continuing my journey to becoming a physician right here at Michigan State! 

 

Is there anyone at MSU that has helped you along your college journey? 

I’d like to recognize Dr. Guinot Talbot, our amazing Director of the Women’s Leadership Institute. She’s been such a positive influence in my life ever since joining the WLI. I have gained so much wisdom, guidance, and support from her over the years! Her hard work as director of the WLI has been vital to my professional growth throughout my undergraduate years. 

 

The WLI’s mission is to ignite women leaders while their vision is to advance leadership equity for women globally. The program aims to create a sustainable community by providing high quality programming for MSU’s students, faculty, and community. To learn more about the institute, view application materials, and take advantage of their resources, visit their website.