During her first semester at Spelman, Chase Stevens, C’2019, came to appreciate the benefits of critiques while taking a “Pathways in Psychology” class taught by Spelman academic dean DeKimberlen Neely, Ph.D. Although her classmates were mostly sophomores and older than she, Dr. Neely didn’t cut her Stevens any slack.
“She still held me to the same high standards and critiqued me just as much as she did them,” said Stevens, a psychology major with a pre-medicine concentration and a Spanish minor.
“Her critiques helped me to see that criticism is the only way that you can grow academically and otherwise.”
In addition, Spelman’s focus on community outreach and academic excellence has strengthened Steven's belief that career goals and even the smallest acts of kindness can uplift others. If a classmate is struggling with an assignment, Stevens offers to help. If a friend is running low on cash at the end of the semester, she shares her extra dining dollars. She also tutors high school students in the neighborhood near campus.
Last summer, she studied abroad in Lisbon, Portugal, which she said reinforced the importance of knowing more than one language. After returning from Portugal, she participated in a summer research program at Auburn University studying ways to increase motivation and engagement among stroke patients.
To round out her jam packed schedule, she participated in the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minorities in Tampa, Fla., in November, where she had a chance to network with medical school professors and directors.
Everything we do [at Spelman] is about enhancing the impact of Black women. It’s all about helping the community,” said the aspiring psychiatrist 
from Louisville, Kentucky. I will make it a priority to make mental health care accessible to all communities, including minority and low-income communities.