Sabrina Smith

Student

“When you get to SMC, research your professors first. You need to develop a good relationship with them, or you’ll find it very hard to stay in their class.”

She arrived at SMC, fresh from high school, because of a position she had at John Adams Middle School. “I worked at a summer camp that was run by SMC,” recalls Sabrina Smith. “I was a camp counselor and I loved working with the kids. And when that was finished, I thought, ‘Might as well stay with SMC. It’s a great school, close to home. Works for me!’” And though Sabrina loves kids, it was a problem she had with one particular kid that sent her questing in the fields of child development and psychology.

“I have four younger siblings, and I was the only child for a long time,” explains Sabrina. “And when my mom had my little brother, I had a lot of anger and resentment.” But rather than letting bad feelings fester, Sabrina took action. “I started taking Child Development classes to understand him better; where he was coming from at such an early age. And this helped us both to relate.”

As she tutors local elementary school kids in math, it’s Sabrina’s fondest wish to transfer to San Francisco State to study psychology. “I’ve become a lot more focused at SMC, and I think that Psych is something that just comes naturally to me,” she says. “One of the things that has really helped me focus is the night classes I’ve taken here. It’s more of an ‘adult’ atmosphere, and the night teachers are just great.” And one of the ‘adults’ Sabrina studies with is her own mom. “She couldn’t go to school when I was little because I kept eating her papers!” says Sabrina with a giggle. “But now she’s back, and we’re great motivators for each other.”

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