Karina Kirsch

Attending university was always a goal of Karina’s growing up, but it seemed like an unattainable dream due to family circumstances. Healing from verbal trauma, while continuing to experience it from a young age, was a struggle that taught her the value and importance of mental health and having empathy for others. It created an intersection between her personal and career goals. “In being able to turn my traumatic upbringing as a mediator into my passions to help others undergoing mental health struggles, I find my purpose. My passions lie in saving lives through mental health care and crisis intervention.”

Karina discovered attending college had its own challenges. “Being the child of two immigrant parents as well as a first-generation college student from a low-income community, I experienced a stark contrast coming to UC San Diego—feeling alienated amongst my new peers.” The Thurgood Marshall College and Psychology/Clinical Psychology major built a powerful sense of community through social organizations like OASIS and Kaibigang Pilipinx and experienced academic growth delving into her Psychology major. “Not only was I able to refine my study habits through networking with other students, but I was able to apply all the interesting things I learned in class to my own life, shifting my perspective of topics like human behavior.” She now consistently receives Provost Honors while balancing two jobs. For one of those jobs, “I get to guide first-generation students through their freshman year of college by sharing academic advice, while also providing a safe and empathetic space for them to speak up about mental health and working with them to develop self-care methods.”

After graduating, Karina intends to continue her volunteer work with crisis intervention within a healthcare setting. “I ultimately hope to attend graduate school to earn a PsyD so that I can work as a Clinical Psychologist and serve underprivileged communities.”