Intellectual Wellness: Pursuing Academia. A Professor Shares His Experiences

Intro

Are you interested in Academia? Or do you ever wonder how the professorial life may look like? Dr. Felix Amissah, an associate professor of pharmacy, joins us today to share his journey to academe. He draws from his early experiences with farming, diverse mentoring opportunities, extra curricula interests, and the importance of lifelong learning.

Guest Bio

Dr. Felix Amissah is an associate professor of pharmacy. He was born in Ghana and has a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Florida A&M University. He now teaches at Ferris State University, where he is the Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Q: Did you always want to be a Pharmacology Professor?

Seriously, when I was in elementary school, I had an elderly friend who use to call me ‘professor.’ I did not even know what that meant, but he realized that I loved books. My uncle knew this as well, and I would sometimes sneak into his room and read his books. So, I had some idea of what I wanted to do, even at that age.

Q: How do have you dealt with the challenges in your journey?

The challenges are always there, it just depends where you focus your energy. I must say, I have not had it easy. There have been times when I have fallen into something and had to take a break just to earn enough money to back out of it. You may expect that everything will work out for you, but it does not always work like that. Sometimes, the road is a little bit winding. But there have been people in my life who have helped me, so I cannot take credit for all of my successes.

Q: What gives you fulfillment in the career you are in?

What makes me happy is thinking about how I am making life better for the next generation. That is one reason I am in education. If someone can have the opportunity to get ahead in life, they can help those around them as well. So that motivation has been a driving force in everything I do.

Another thing that makes me happy is seeing the product of my work. Not just the physical product, but the students that I teach. There was a student that I had that is now working at the top levels of his field. That makes me happy, to positively contribute to someone else’s life.

Q: What advice would you give someone who is looking for what give them joy?

One major secret is to always do what makes you happy. Why do I say that? Well, where I am now is mostly a teaching school, but there is still an opportunity for service. I am very happy doing research, even in this small environment. I also love teaching, but not because I love talking. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not easy to do. You will have to do things that are uncomfortable. But as long as you enjoy most of your work, you will have the drive to overcome those uncomfortable challenges.

Q: How does education affect someone’s future?

The day you stop learning is the end of your career in academia. This is one thing that I’ve observed as an educator and a researcher. Education has impacted every aspect of my life. About 30 years of my life has been spent in education. Some people would say that is a waste, but I disagree. I have skills that I picked up in education that I can call on when I need. Every aspect of education is worth it.

Summary

When it comes to academics, never give up. There will always be reasons to stop what you are doing. Challenges will always be there. But if you have the will, you will find the way to a thriving life.

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