Mike Phu: Mental Health Assistant. Guess His major?

Major: Human Development

Degree: BA, class of 2013, minor in Theater Arts. 

Mike Phu

Mike Phu is living proof that following your dreams is the only way to go. Phu’s CSULB journey began in 2008 as biochemistry student whose family dreamed that he would become a doctor one day. But it was their dream, not his. After three years of increasingly becoming disillusioned with his major, Phu decided to make a much-needed change. He spent some time thinking about his next move. While he was great at science and math, it wasn’t his passion. Inspiration struck and he decided to switch his major to Human Development in hopes of becoming a counselor. The change was a struggle for him at first. He’d come from an almost completely analytical background and now he was doing lots of reading and writing as a College of Liberal Arts student. Phu powered through and by the end of the first semester he found his stride within the discipline. His first opportunity knocked in the form of an internship on campus at Disabled Student Services. He faced a number of challenges at the beginning, as he was new to the field of mental disabilities. The training was extensive but worth it in the end. After his graduation the director of DDS and his supervisor gave him good news—he was hired! Phu currently works on campus as an Autism Services Assistant for the Disabled Student Services and is excelling in the position. His goal is to be a constant in students’ lives that may need him. He’s adamant about meeting with students once a week in order to establish a clear channel of communication. Off campus, Phu also works as a Behavioral therapist with children on the autism spectrum at a clinic in Anaheim. He envisions being able to partner with psychiatrists and open up his own counseling office one day. Phu looks forward to the moment when the students he’s helped have graduated and moved on to follow their dreams.