Dr. Kristin Pope, director of Lee University’s Center for Calling and Career, recently earned her doctorate in educational psychology from Regent University, located in Virginia.   

Pope’s dissertation titled “Calling development: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of university-enrolled, emerging adults’ calling experience within a SCCT framework,” focused on calling development in emerging adults enrolled at university.  

 “Calling develops within the context of, and in reaction to, the details of life as one makes meaning of it,” says Pope. “Developing a calling results in passion for its fulfillment, a goal-oriented perspective toward this aim, and feeling satisfaction in particular roles and in life overall.”  

She earned her Education Specialist degree in educational leadership from Regent University, a Master of Science in mental health counseling at Lee University, and a Bachelor of Arts in government from Berry College.    

Pope will present her dissertation research at the bi-annual conference of the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education in Atlanta in March. She has led numerous seminars and workshops on topics ranging from understanding how one’s calling and identity inform life meaning and purpose, strengths-based development, and various career preparation topics. 

Pope has served as Lee’s director of the Center for Calling and Career since 2021. Prior to this she served at Lee as the Academic Coordinator for TRiO Student Support Services and the Coordinator of Academic Events.