Carrington: “I want to get a doctorate of psychology in clinical psych”
Destini Carrington, psychology senior, is working to better herself and her community every day.
Carrington studies psychology with a minor in child advocacy. The Clara Luper scholarship brought her to OCU.
“For me, applying for the Luper scholarship was my opportunity to go to a private university pretty much for free, and that was a great opportunity for me,” Carrington said. “Coming from a low-socioeconomic area and being raised by a single mother, I knew that paying for me to go to college wasn’t an option. So throughout middle school and high school, I was training myself to be the best student I could be, so I could get scholarships and have a way for me to go to college.”
Carrington said her minor in child advocacy has greatly benefitted her studies in psychology.
“It’s surrounded around child abuse and neglect, so it gives the opportunity for lots of people to learn the warning signs—the triggers—and understanding how to deal with those things in the real world,” Carrington said. “It’s interesting to have that with psychology because a lot of times the issues that person is dealing with when they come to you stem from their childhood.”
Since arriving at OCU, Carrington has been involved in multiple organizations on campus, including the President’s Leadership Class, New Student Orientation, Student Government Association and Black Student Association.
Carrington said she climbed the ladder of the NSO and became a student professional while working beside Colbi Beam, former director of student engagement.
“Spring semester of freshman year, I got involved in new student orientation, and I became a leader after that and worked my way up in the ranks and became a staff member,” she said. “After my first year being an NSO leader, Colbi asked me if I wanted to be her StuPro for first year experience. I’m still the StuPro for first year experience now.”
Carrington got involved with BSA her freshman year. She served as secretary before she became president this year. She also serves as the secretary of diversity and inclusion for SGA.
Chris Richie, music theater sophomore and vice president of BSA, said Carrington makes a big impact on campus.
“I love her so much. She has done so much for the Black Student Association and for the school in general. I see very bright things in her future,” Richie said.
Carrington said one of her favorite projects came out of her job at first year experience.
“Colbi allowed me to reshape what our Stars Week diversity dialogues look like, so I got to redo the programming for that and find people to do the sessions and make it more intentional for students,” she said. “From that, it’s becoming a diversity day for Stars Week.”
Carrington said being at OCU has shown her the difference she can make in the community.
“For me, I found my purpose here, knowing that making an impact whenever I can is very important. Even something small can affect someone in a way that changes their life,” she said. “It’s been evident this year that racism is still very much a thing, and that everyone reacts to it differently. I’ve learned that a lot of people don’t see it the way I see it, and a lot of people forgive people and move on while we’re still dealing with the consequences of what someone else chose to do. Just knowing that this campus is a piece of the larger world and understanding that if we can make changes on this scale, then in the future we can possibly make changes on the larger scale.”
Carrington said she has many ideas about what she’d like to do after graduation.
“My end goal is to open up my own non-profit counseling center in a low-income area because there’s a taboo around mental health in a lot of low-income communities, and I want to be able to help stop the cycle by giving them a free way to fix their mental health,” she said. “I want to get a doctorate of psychology in clinical psych so I can open up my own practice and funnel money into my non-profit when needed.”
Carrington said she hopes to study at Baylor University after taking a gap year and moving to San Antonio, Texas, with her sister. She plans to do internships, shadow professionals and even attend culinary school.
Carrington said she would like to thank Kanika Brown, director of student services, for her support.
“Kanika Brown has been a great influence on my life. If there’s one person who’s been there from start to finish, it’s her,” she said. “She always fights for us in the spaces where students can’t necessarily fight for themselves, and always keeps the black agenda with her and creates a space for us to be more successful.”
Carrington said students must live in their purpose.
“Once you find out your purpose, walk in it,” she said. “Understand the space you create for yourself is the space you will thrive in. Don’t depend on being successful in someone else’s spaces. If the space is not for you, create the space that is.”
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