AlumniUM:

Julia El Kallassi : Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Activist

My name is Julia El Kallassi.

My name is Julia El Kallassi. I graduated from Université Saint-Joseph (USJ) with a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. I was very much involved in projects that aimed to spread awareness about the importance of mental health. But being "just another citizen" also means commitment to the country and to social change.

I've tried to coordinate citizenship programs from where I was, at the Student Life Office (USJ). My university years were full of debates, social initiatives, parliamentary simulations (thank you FNF!), but more importantly, hope. I had hope in every student who used to participate in these events and who wanted to change before changing the country. Going to Germany to participate in the  MYP visiting program was an important step for me to further understand my role as a citizen somehow. It's interesting (and overwhelming!) to see how democracy functions in this part of the world 🙂 I think that we have many lessons to learn as Lebanese people when it comes to following (an ideology behind) a leader and to knowing what it truly means to be liberal! 

I'm not working in the Student Life Department anymore. I'm not even in Lebanon today. I'm fully submerged in the world of academia, doing (or at least trying to 🙂) research for my PhD in France. I guess that it's important to invest in oneself sometimes. But I know that I learnt from my previous "citizenship experiences" (and will hopefully continue to learn from my upcoming ones) and that someday, I'll return to serve, like many others. Inshallah.