By Sandy Hill/reporter

Students still looking to answer the age-old question “What do I want to be when I grow up?” can join counselor Lilian Mabry at Tips for Choosing an Academic Major 12:30-1:30 p.m. Oct. 6 in NSTU Center Corner to find an answer or at least get pointed in the right direction.

“We’re all looking to grow up still,” Mabry said, referring to college students. “Some students are in college for the first time because parents tell them they must go, and they have difficulty rationalizing why they are there.”

Mabry said it’s important to find a passion as soon as possible. To succeed, students need to find something that drives them, something to feel passionate about, she said.

This seminar is geared toward college students of all ages who are looking for tips on how to get a career going.

Mabry, a Havana, Cuba, native and the daughter of Spanish immigrants, has lived and traveled throughout the U.S., South America and the Caribbean.

She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Spanish and a master’s in educational psychology from the University of Texas-El Paso and is a licensed professional counselor.

Mabry spent six years at the El Paso Life Management Center as a mental health counselor and 18 months as a counselor at the Psychiatric Institute of Fort Worth before coming to TCC in 2004 to serve as a counselor.

Along with personal, vocational and academic counseling, Mabry also explores career issues with students and gives them guidance on picking a college major and making career choices.