Happy, Purposeful, and Grounded: A Life in Psychology and the Black Academic Experience

In this episode of The Color of Success: The Black Academic Experience, we sit down with Dr. Michelle K. Lewis, professor of psychology, Fulbright Distinguished Chair alumna, and author, to reflect on a career shaped by curiosity, community, and care. Dr. Lewis shares her journey through graduate school at Howard University, her passion for brain and behavior research, and how multicultural relationships, mentorship, and asking the right questions shaped her academic path. From funding lessons to dissertation memories and the long-term impact of the PhD experience, this conversation offers wisdom, honesty, and joy for anyone navigating—or reflecting on—the academic journey.