Extraordinary K-Stater: Global Campus student recognized for overcoming challenges in pursuit of education
When Christina Boxx looks at spreadsheets or charts filled with data, she sees not
just numbers, but the potential meaning behind them.
“Anything with data analytics is exciting to me,” says the current K-State Global
Campus student.
She’s planning to use that passion for data in her future career in industrial-organizational
psychology, and she’s spent years persevering to make this dream career possible.
Boxx recently was honored with the 2022 K-State Global Campus Extraordinary Student
Award, which recognizes an online student who has overcome an obstacle in the path
of their education and who demonstrates academic excellence, focus and career ambition
in their studies at K-State.
"Christina has faced one challenge after another in her efforts to complete her undergraduate and graduate degrees," said Sarina Maneotis, a professor for the master's industrial and organizational psychology program, who nominated Boxx. "Despite all of the hurdles she has faced, she is a compassionate, curious and overall wonderful person. She never uses her challenges as an excuse and always puts forth her best effort. She is a top-performing student in our program and often goes above and beyond what we expect for our students."
Boxx was actually having her ring cleaned in preparation for her bridal shower that
weekend when she received the email notifying her she’d won the award, and she said
she felt immediately honored and overcome.
“My fiancé was waiting for me in the car, and I burst into tears,” Boxx said. “I was
so shocked.”
A determination to learn
Boxx is completing K-State’s online master's degree program in psychology while balancing
a full-time job as a research data coordinator. She plans to graduate in December.
Boxx said that while she was growing up, she was taught at home in an environment
of educational neglect. She added that she was never allowed to ask “why,” and her
curiosity was not encouraged.
During her first psychology course in college at Avila University, the professor mentioned Charles Darwin in passing during a lecture, and Boxx remembers
raising her hand and asking, “Who is Charles Darwin?” Everyone laughed, thinking it
was a joke.
“The professor came up to me after class and explained that she loves jokes in her
class but warned me that other professors may not find my ‘humor’ amusing,” said Boxx.
“I explained to her that I was not joking and began to ask again, ‘Who is Charles
Darwin?’ You could tell the professor felt awful and quickly sat me down and allowed
me to ask any questions needed.”
That was the first time Boxx realized it was OK to follow up her curiosity with a
question.
“I would not have made it to this level in my academic career if it weren’t for the
incredible professors that took the additional, out-of-class time, to sit with me
and allow my curiosity to freely exist,” Boxx said. “Education is a gift; the professors
are the givers.”
A determination to succeed
Boxx decided to study at K-State Global Campus after reading testimonials from other
students. She was drawn to the fact that due to the online program, she wouldn’t have
to relocate to continue her education.
In the first year of the program, she also served as a caretaker for her elderly grandfather,
cooking, doing laundry and administering medicine, while also working a part-time
job that included 12-hour night shifts.
During her undergraduate studies, she worked two – sometimes three – part-time jobs
while also staying involved in campus organizations.
Although she’s had a lot to manage, Boxx said that pursuing her educational goals
has definitely been worth it.
“If it’s something you really, really want, it has to be more than just an interest,”
she said. “You have to motivate yourself.”
Boxx’s post-graduation goal is to work in a human resources department as an industrial-organizational
psychologist, which is all about helping companies make data-driven decisions instead
of simply relying merely on human intuition, which can be fallible. She’d like to
focus on performance appraisal systems and people analytics, and ensure organizations
are following fair and legal processes.
For Boxx, working in the field of psychology is never dull.
“I love challenging myself to think in different perspectives,” she said. “It opens
up a lot of doors in the world.”