Mikey Jose

"Attending Corpus Christi gave me the time to reflect on my own ‘why’ before taking the leap into UBC and got me thinking about what type of impact I can make through science." - Mikey Jose, Corpus Christi College alumnus

Mikey Jose attended Corpus Christi College from 2015 to 2016 before transferring to the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he is a doctoral student researching music and neuroscience.

From a young age, Mikey had a passion for listening to and creating music. He later developed a love of neuroscience, as well. He has managed to intertwine the two into his study of clinical music neuroscience. In his research, Mikey studies how listening to music affects non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. His passion and excitement lie in creating opportunities to uplift and improve the lives of marginalized and vulnerable populations. He believes he is incredibly fortunate to be able to use the things he loves to accomplish this goal.

Mikey has been featured as a speaker at a TEDx community event, where he dove into the neuroscience of music and its power in medicine, from reward to healing. (This talk was given using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.)

In addition to his academic work in clinical music neuroscience, Mikey is an accomplished musician. In 2019, he released his first official song, "Stay at Home," which received attention locally and nationally. Since then, he has released several musical projects that are free to stream.
 

Mikey's Corpus Christi College journey

Mikey first became interested in Corpus Christi College after learning about the Step into Leadership scholarship, which integrated a leadership course with a legacy project, and was a precursor to the College's Circle of Fellows Scholarship. Through this program, he gained transferrable skills that allowed him to become an effective leader in any setting. In his first year, the small class sizes allowed him to focus on his courses and interact with his professors one-on-one.

As an engaged alumnus, Mikey has maintained relationships with classmates while continuing his education at UBC. Additionally, he had the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant at Corpus Christi College in Fall 2021 and looks forward to teaching a first-year Psychology course in Fall 2022.

When asked about Corpus Christi’s impact on his life, he says,

"Attending Corpus Christi gave me the time to reflect on my own ‘why’ before taking the leap into UBC and got me thinking about what type of impact I can make through science. The Introduction to Psychology class at Corpus helped me understand how the brain and behaviour could help me achieve my 'why,' which was to help and uplift vulnerable, marginalized, and underserved populations.”

The experience Mikey had at Corpus Christi College was also shaped by his English professor, Dr. Jamie Paris. Dr. Paris fundamentally influenced him during his undergraduate years. He explains, “Dr. Paris was not afraid to be honest with my work, which wasn’t something I was used to coming out of high school. Since then, I’ve been complimented for exemplifying strong writing and communication skills." He attributes this growth to the guidance of dedicated faculty members, like Dr. Paris.
 

Mikey's advice for Corpus Christi College students

“You don’t need to have everything figured out, but something that definitely helps guide the way is knowing your 'why,' or purpose. If you’re in school with no direct plan and are figuring things out as they come, that’s a great place to be! I’d recommend keeping your eyes peeled to what interests you, or if anything interests you at all, and ask yourself why you feel drawn to something (or nothing). Even if you come into college/university knowing what you want out of it, ask yourself why you’re pursuing what you’re pursuing!”