Information Assistant Stacey Mackay has long been a helpful and sympathetic listener at Forth Valley College’s Stirling Campus reception – but she has taken this to a whole new level by graduating recently with a First Class BSc Honours in Psychology!
Stacey (41) from Stirling, who has worked full-time at Forth Valley College in various roles since 2005 - and before that for two years at the old Stirling Campus of the then Falkirk College of Technology - has been studying for her degree through the Open University for the last six years, the last year while working part-time. Now she is gearing up to complete her Masters in Psychology at the University of Stirling.
Stacey, who has also overcome her own battles with depression and anxiety and various other health conditions, has always had a fascination with how the mind works – especially in the field of criminal psychology.
She, said: “It has been amazing doing this degree, it is literally one of the best things I have ever done. It was certainly very challenging during the course and there were some very harrowing areas that had to be covered, but I am very proud of myself for completing my degree.
“I remember being fascinated with what made serial killers the way they were when I was a young adult, and how the mind works has always been a great interest to me, especially when I was working through my own experience of depression and anxiety.
“Studying for the degree really has helped me to cope with things much better. It makes you think about what is happening physically, mentally and emotionally in your body when you are experiencing things like this and shows you that it is all interconnected. It helped me to compartmentalise things and that enables me to cope with things better.
“I really have to thank Pauline Donaldson my line manager who has been so supportive to me over the last few years as I worked my way through the course for helping me to continue working part-time. And my husband Neil, has also been so supportive during this time.
“I must say I would recommend anyone to study psychology 100% and hopefully I can inspire others to do so. I know Forth Valley College have Introduction to Psychology and Higher Psychology courses to give people a taster of what the subject is all about and I would urge anyone to find out more about them.
“I really can’t wait to start my Masters at the University of Stirling and hopefully I can go on to become a clinical psychologist for people with chronic and long term mental health issues. I hope that I can help them through their bad times and help put treatment plans in place for them, I feel that I would be in an ideal place to do that, because of what I have been through myself.”
Pauline Donaldson, FVC’s Soft Services and Sustainability Manager, said: “Congratulations to Stacey on graduating with a First Class BSc Honours in Psychology. I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication that she has shown in continuing her professional development, especially during the difficulties of lockdown and continuing in her role as an Information Assistant. It’s fantastic to know that Stacey is not stopping there, but taking her CPD to the next level with an MSc in Psychology!”