Erin Carty

graduate

Hometown: Happy Valley, Oregon

What was your most impactful class or professor? Dr. Katie Kresser has been a wonderful inspiration for me. All of her classes are incredibly interesting, and she always pushes me to do my best. She's always been very encouraging of my personal goals and has been a valuable advisor for my entire SPU career. Her Cross-Cultural Encounters class was particularly eye-opening for me and encouraged me to look at the residual impact of human interactions with a new lens.

What are you excited for in your future career? After graduation, I'm excited to continue learning and researching. I've loved taking classes for my degree, and I'm excited to continue learning in my career, even if not in a classroom setting.

What advice do you have for incoming students? If I had any advice for incoming students, it would be to stay organized! Keeping a detailed calendar and to-do list is what kept my work manageable. This helps stay on top of tasks, but it also means dedicating specific time for self-care and friendships.

How have you grown during your time at SPU? While at SPU I've grown more confident in myself and in my work. I now have the confidence in my performance and work ethic to take on new tasks and experiences without stress. I'm proud of the work I've done here, and it's helped me to feel like I belong in my chosen field.