This Q&A is part of a four-part series that focuses on women pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers. Each Friday in November a new Q&A will be released.
Ashley Pointer is pursuing a degree in Psychology. She graduated from PCC in 2024 with an associate in science degree as a Career and College Promise student.
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
I graduated from Piedmont Community College Summa Cum Laude with an associate’s degree in science. What inspired me to pursue a career in STEM would be that I want to give people a better quality of life. There are various individuals around the world who don’t receive the care that they need, and I want to be the person that helps them obtain it. The specific area that I plan to pursue is Psychology. Although this isn’t part of the acronym, I still believe that Psychology is a part of the core of STEM. Psychology is a concept that has always been interesting to me because of its various factors. There are so many moving parts to it and all of them come together. The human mind can arguably be the most complex thing on earth. I want to know how people behave and what causes them to exhibit that behavior.
How did your time at PCC prepare you for your future career?
So while being at PCC, I took a lot of courses that geared me toward my future career. I took courses such as psychology, public speaking, biology, English, etc. All of my instructors were adamant in making sure all of their students knew the material and were willing to help and for that, I’m grateful. I’ve had it made up in my mind for a while that I want to become a Clinical Psychologist. I know that I want to get my Masters, although I’m undecided about getting my PhD. Given my profession I know that a lot of aspects are going to have to come into play. With the psychology courses that I took, I now know certain information that could help me with clients. English taught me how to write different types of papers, such as research. My public speaking class taught me how to confidently speak in front of crowds and techniques to use when doing so. Biology taught me that certain traits can be passed down through generations and can be heredity. My time at PCC definitely isn’t limited to only these classes because all of the classes that I’ve taken have helped shape me for my future.
What advice would you give to women interested in pursuing STEM careers?
I would say don’t ever feel like you don’t deserve the place that you’ve gotten to because you have overcome obstacles just like everyone else. There have been plenty of times where I’ve doubted myself and questioned if I even deserved what I had worked hard for. I realized that everything that you gain is a symbol of how hard you worked to get there. Another important thing would be don’t think that asking for help shows weakness because it doesn’t. It shows that you’re willingly to be vulnerable and that’s okay. There will be people along the way to help guide you in the right direction. Also, never let anyone make you feel less than or undermine you because you belong there just like everyone else. You dedicated yourself to working hard and putting in the work that was necessary to achieve your goal. It may be hard at first, but the outcome that comes with it will be rewarding.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in STEM, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge that I faced was juggling school life and home life. When I was in high school, I was dually enrolled and taking college classes. On top of that, I was a typical high school student participating in multiple clubs as well as a dance team that I was captain of. There were times when I would become overwhelmed because I felt like people always expected a lot from me and out of me. What allowed me to overcome this was time management. This tool helped a lot because I could plan out my day or the whole week and not stress about what I had to do. Another way that I overcame this is that I had to remind myself that at the end of the day, I’m human. I had to put myself and my mental health first and remember that it’s okay to make mistakes. People make mistakes everyday but that’s what makes us human. I know myself better than anyone else meaning I know what I can do and I know what my limitations are.
Are there any misconceptions people have about women in STEM? If so, how can they be addressed?
I think that one of the biggest misconceptions people assume about women in STEM would be that women aren’t as good in the topics of math and science. There have been a handful of women in my classes that always make good grades and know the material. Another misconception would be that women aren’t interested in STEM. Society assumes that women don’t like to go this route because of what it all entails. Anyone can be interested in anything that they choose, so why is that any different for STEM? We can address these problems by stopping the stigma surrounding women in STEM. The more that we don’t correct people about it, the more that people will continue to falsely believe. Talking about it means that we challenge the way that people think and persuade them to see a different perspective.
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