The psychology major strives to create positive change and plans to pursue a career counseling children with disabilities.
Community means everything to Paige Wilson ’22. She just entered her sophomore year at Elon and is already part of a wide span of campus networks. She’s an Odyssey Program scholar, a resident assistant in the African Diaspora Living Learning Community, a student worker in the Gender & LGBTQIA Center and a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
“Being part of all of these communities makes me unique at Elon, and I like that. I appreciate being outside of the norm, but not a token,” she says. “I know that I’m educated enough to take that, control it and make it something that I can benefit from.”
For Paige, a psychology major, focusing on topics she’s passionate about drives her to work harder. This also widens her worldview, academically as well as personally. Her job at the GLC continues to teach her about inclusivity and being socially conscious, while classes like her child psychopathology course have sharpened her interest in pursuing a career counseling children with disabilities.
“I want the best for people, especially those unable to advocate for themselves. When working with young people, you can make a real impact, teaching tools that can change a person’s trajectory,” she says.
As part of Lecturer Sandra Reid’s class about the art and science of human service studies, Paige is tutoring children at Burlington’s Positive Attitude Youth Center. She says helping the students learn gives her much satisfaction. “I always say that I want to make as much positive change as I can before I die, even if it’s small. I get so excited when a word we’ve gone over shows up again and they get it right. I love it when they get it!”
Paige is Elon and one of the many stories that are part of our “I Am Elon” series.