Brandyn Starbuck (Class of ‘16) graduated from Aston University, Birmingham UK with a BSc in Psychology. Having spent some time working at a learning and development centre for children with severe learning disabilities, as well as placements in two psychiatric wards in the UK during his degree, Brandyn is now back in Malaysia and working as an Assistant Teacher at our very own
Early Years Centre.
Brandyn- could you please share your journey after GIS?
After finishing my sixth form studies, I completed my Psychology degree at Aston University, in Birmingham, England. I spent my sandwich year in a clinical placement, working at two different locations under the same foundation, the BIrmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust (BSMHFT): one was an outpatient setting, and the other an inpatient setting, where I got to experience the everyday operation of a clinical ward. Once I finished my degree, I returned to Malaysia, and spent time working as an interventionist for children with special needs in The Energy Source, located in Bangsar, where I learned the many challenges and complexities involved in working with children of different backgrounds and developmental needs. This experience sparked an interest for me in working with children, as I thoroughly enjoyed the rewarding nature of assisting children to help meet their sensory and physical needs, as well as watching them grow and develop to be able to integrate into a typical school environment. In particular, I developed an interest in speech therapy, and the role it has in assisting a child’s comfort with their own vocal capabilities, as well as the degree to which it can positively impact their livelihood when it comes to their confidence with communication.
Although I intend to pursue my Masters degree in Speech Pathology in the future, I wished to gain more experience working with children under an international school setting, and as a result applied for a position as an assistant teacher at GIS. I am now continuing to enjoy my time working with the GIS Early Years Centre, where I feel confident and valued as part of a lovely team of teachers, helping to support and lead children with their learning experiences.
How did GIS prepare you for the journey beyond school?
GIS did a fantastic job of shaping me into an independent learner, capable of understanding and efficiently conducting external research into topics related to my university modules. This was a very crucial part of my time at university, as my course required a high level of independent research and initiative taken in order to perform well across a range of coursework based assessments.
Who or what inspired you to choose your selected field of study?
The first time I learned about Psychology and what it entailed, was when I was curiously flipping through my friends notes on the subject, as it was first available in sixth form curriculum. As soon as I had read the first few pages, I was fascinated, and instantly initiated a subject swap. It was a decision I was initially worried that I would regret, having not seen much of the subject before, but upon entering my first lesson and being enraptured by the studies and theories, I knew I would be endlessly fascinated by the subject, and it was the right choice for me.
What do you remember most from your time at GIS?
My most prominent memories at GIS involve the bonds I created between my friends and teachers, both of which have involved me keeping in touch with a variety of my peers long after. It provided me with a true sense of belonging and community, and helped me feel that I was able to speak out and ask for help whenever I found myself needing assistance, whether it be academically, socially or mentally.
What are the other key challenges that you face in this field and how do you overcome these challenges?
By far the biggest challenges I faced when pursuing the field of psychological studies was the mental toll that my clinical placement had on me. The field of clinical psychology is not an easy one, and definitely not for the faint hearted, as reading about the extreme occurrences and upsetting life experiences that many patients have had to go through was very disturbing. While this may have been the biggest challenge, it also meant that the work was extremely rewarding, as seeing the smile on patients’ faces as they made progress and started to feel more confident, stable and outgoing was truly beautiful. I would highly recommend it to anyone who feels that they are interested in helping those with mental difficulties and disorders to lead a life uninhibited by their diagnoses.
What advice would you give to the current GIS students who are interested in similar career choices?
I would highly recommend seeking out at least a little bit of work experience in the particular field of psychology that you are interested in pursuing, because there could be aspects of the field that you find particularly challenging or end up finding to be too mentally draining. As exemplary students of the field it is always critical to remember that, if your mental health is being impacted by your career field, then you will never be able to output your best work and truly benefit the patients who you are caring for. This does not mean that you need to just find somewhere easy and settle with it, but it rather means that you should always strive to work in a particular field of psychology where you feel mentally well and able to produce your absolute best work. Remember, you can’t help others if you never help yourself!
If you would like to thank anyone?
I can’t express in a single paragraph the gratitude that I truly have for every single member of staff in GIS who helped shape me into the person that I am today. Without their guidance, wisdom and approachability, I would not have been able to enter the psychological field with the capability that I have, and the educational background to reinforce it. A huge thank you to every single one of my teachers, from Year 1 up to Year 13, who all had an instrumental role to play in furthering my education and helping me to feel at home within a community, whilst pushing me to strive for the best and always stay motivated. It has been a pleasure being taught by all of you.
I would also like to specifically thank my A level English teacher, Mr. Andrew McConchie, who was such a masterful and refined analyst of literary text, that it truly inspired me to give my all into the subject, and shaped my ability to write and analyse text to this day. This proficiency will always be a part of me, and I would like to give a truly heartfelt thank you to him for giving up his free time to constantly help me to refine my ability and further my writing skills, something that I am immensely grateful for.
Thank you to everyone at GIS, I will always be proud to be a part of this wonderful community.
A huge ‘Thank You’ to Alumnus Brandyn Starbuck for sharing his fond memories of GIS. It has been great to reconnect with you, and we are so pleased to welcome you back!
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