Today’s Professor Spotlight is on Professor Sarahbeth Golden. Professor Golden is a professor in the Social Sciences department and has been teaching for fourteen years (this his her ninth year at Lasell College). Professor Golden currently teaches an advanced internship seminar for seniors in the Social Sciences department, Psychological Perspectives (PSYC101), First Year Seminar classes, Human Sexuality, Personality, Introduction to Human Services, and Honors seminar courses. Her favorite part about being a professor at Lasell is her students! “I really enjoy their energy, curiosity, and creativity. They ask questions that have never occurred to men, they come up with really interesting ideas, they bravely participate in challenging discussions, and they teach me a lot about pop culture. My students play a major role in why I think my classes are fun and interesting. They are the best part of my job” says Golden.
Professor Golden also maintains a clinical license, but with teaching at Lasell and doing clinical work she does not currently practice. When asked what the one thing she wants her students to take away from participating in her classes, professor Golden said “I want my students to be able to be able to think like psychologists, no matter what their major is. I want them to see something happen on the way to class, or while riding the T, or reported on the news, and wonder “Why is that happening? What could explain this?” Ideally, I want them to be able to come up with a few possible answers to these questions, and consider multiple factors, from the individual level to the larger societal level. By the end of the semester, they are probably sick of hearing me talk about “individuals and society” but I’m hoping they’re developing a way of thinking about the world and themselves.” Professor Golden keeps the discussions held in her classes lively and up-to-date with current events, she also once told my Honors First Year Seminar to “listen to Nirvana,” (which was pretty great/cool advice if you ask me). If you ever have the chance to take a class from Professor Golden, do it!