Adam Hartzer ’23
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Cassondra Batz-Barbarich is an Assistant Professor of Business in the Department of Economics, Business, and Finance at Lake Forest College. Specializing in industrial-organizational psychology, Dr. Batz-Barbarich’s courses focus on themes of well-being, happiness, and meaning in the workplace. Stentor staff spoke with Batz-Barbarich to learn about her unique passion for teaching at the College and how she became interested in this subject.
Stentor: Where did you study and what was your major? How did you decide on your major?
Batz-Barbarich: I attended Loyola University Chicago and majored in psychology and minored in business.
I—like many students—entered college thinking I wanted to be a doctor. Then I found myself crying weekly over my chemistry class—and I had to deeply reevaluate what I wanted my future to look like (no easy task for an 18-year-old). I had taken a psychology course over the summer and loved it—but I knew I would not make a great fit for a therapist. So, I started to Google what else I could do with a psychology degree. That’s when I found I/O psychology—which felt like the perfect blend for me—psychology and business. I did a bit more reading and found a blog by a graduate student in the field, they noted that they pursued I/O because they felt “what better way to spend your life, than helping other people make the place where they spend their life better.” That sealed the deal for me.
Stentor: What was your journey like that led you to Lake Forest College?
Batz-Barbarich: Once I graduated from Loyola, I went straight to graduate school at Purdue University. I entered Purdue convinced that I wanted to go apply—or rather, work for an organization as an I/O psychologist. I enjoyed research, but I felt like I could make a bigger difference working directly with people. Flash forward a year, and I found out that my funding for graduate school was going to require me to teach a course (Psychological Research Methods). While research methods are actually quite interesting, this particular course was walking students through APA formatting—about as dry of content as you could imagine—yet, I LOVED it. I loved interacting with students, I loved thinking through ways to bring material to life, I loved getting to witness students’ learning, and I loved celebrating their successes and growth. I was hooked. I pursued a number of additional teaching opportunities and the view I had of my future completely shifted. I wanted to find an institution that would allow me to focus my energy and attention on my students—and I found that in Lake Forest College.
Stentor: What motivates you in your job?
Batz-Barbarich: Getting to see students grow in their abilities, perspectives, and self-confidence! There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing a shift in a student over the course of the semester. I love helping students step outside their comfort zones, supporting them while they push themselves, and seeing the change that comes from that. It’s really, really meaningful when students tell me later how I impacted their sense of self, their confidence, their passions, or their well-being. That’s the impact I hope to have and that is what motivates me.
Stentor: What current projects are you working on?
Batz-Barbarich: I have a number of projects currently underway! A primary theme across my projects is looking to identify and overcome barriers that exist for women and people of color in the workplace. I am really passionate about projects that I think can have a tangible impact on others’ lives.
Stentor: What’s something you’re most looking forward to this semester?
Batz-Barbarich: Just being back in the classroom! I have missed being away from students. The first day jitters were real—but it felt so good to be back!
Stentor: What is a piece of advice you have for students at Lake Forest College?
Batz-Barbarich: Keep your mind open to new ideas and to new opportunities—sometimes the smallest things can change the entire course of your life (in the best ways) if you let them.
Prioritize finding joy on the paths you choose to pursue.
Always hold dear to you the things you value most in this world and let that guide you.
Take care of yourself: prioritize your mental health, set boundaries, rest, learn to say no and to advocate for yourself. Know that you can’t take care of others unless you take care of yourself first.
Find places and people who celebrate your authentic self.
Stentor: What’s one course that you wish you could enroll in at Lake Forest College if you were a student?
Batz-Barbarich: HIST/AFAM 275: Black her-story! I love learning about, and celebrating, amazing women! And it sure doesn’t hurt that it is also taught by an amazing woman and professor, Dr. Joseph!
Stentor: What did you do this past semester on sabbatical?
Batz-Barbarich: I really tried to use this time to infuse joy into my life and work. I traveled to Europe for three weeks with my husband—and we successfully ate our way through Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, and Denmark. I picked back up my hobby of reading—for fun—and got through almost thirty books, so if you have some good suspense/mystery recommendations, let me know. I spent time with my parents, sitting outside with my dad and eating my mom’s classically Midwest cooking—nothing compares. I also picked back up a number of research projects that had fallen to the wayside with the transition to Lake Forest, which was really invigorating to get to do. It was truly such a privilege to have this time and I tried to make the most of it both personally and professionally.
