When you set your mind to something as a young adult, you strive to achieve that goal, just as Associate Professor Stacey Williams did here at ETSU.
As a young college student, Williams was quite stimulated in following her own professor’s footsteps, and she did just that. Not only is Williams an associate professor, she was recently promoted to full professor. She also became interested in conducting psychological science research, set her mind to it and now she is also mentoring students along with that. She believes she has her dream job.
Prior to arriving here at ETSU, Williams attended graduate school at Kent State University in the area of social-health psychology in Ohio. She also completed a two-year Post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Michigan in the area of social environment and health. Two years later, she is here with us at East Tennessee State University.
Williams is very satisfied by her job and place here at ETSU, where she believes that it is a perfect fit for her. She gets to do exactly what she wants to do: Conduct research on stigma and minority stress and the health of minority populations, teach courses in diversity and research and mentor both undergraduate and graduate students in conducting their own research.
“It is very gratifying to see students learn and get inspired to do the work they are passionate about,” said Williams. “The students I work with in my research lab (the Social Issues and Relations Lab) conduct important work on understudied and stigmatized populations, such as the LGBTQ+ community.”
Not only does she have goals for herself as an educator, but she also has goals for her students.
“The goal is for our research on LGBTQ people in Appalachia to have a positive impact on the campus and larger community,” she said.
Williams is currently an advisor for the Psychology for Equity, Awareness and Community Enhancement (PEACE) Student Organization.
“The PEACE student organization aligns with my approach to my work and to my life – to promote equity, awareness and action to improve the campus and larger community,” she said.
Williams encourages students and faculty to get involved with PEACE, as she plans to be here for a long time and to make a positive impact through diversity and inclusion.
