Alumna uses psychology degree in management and teaching others

Meet Lisa Lang, a 1991 psychology graduate and vice president of talent and leadership at Siemens Corporation. Siemens is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and Europe’s largest industrial manufacturing company. She is responsible for leading a cultural transformation of continuous growth through talent management, learning and leadership development. Learn how Clemson and a bachelor’s degree in psychology prepared Lisa for a career in management.

Describe your career path since graduating from Clemson. After graduation, I moved to Orlando, Florida, and received a master’s degree in industrial psychology from the University of Central Florida.  As a master’s student, I interned at Siemens and the rest is history! I worked for a few years in the telecommunications division and focused on technology-based learning. By the time I was 29, I had the opportunity to move into management. Next, I moved to Nokia where I worked in business excellence within the sales organization. After a couple of years, I moved back to Siemens where I returned to learning and took on progressively more challenging positions as a global “people and organization” leader.

What inspired you to take this path? The turning point was my internship at Siemens. From day one, I knew that was where I belonged, and that learning was my passion. Over the years, I have been fortunate to have mentors who inspired me along the way.

How did Clemson prepare you for your career? Originally, I was interested in pre-law at Clemson, but after guidance from an advisor, I decided to transition into psychology. At Clemson, I learned about the different disciplines within psychology and decided that industrial psychology was the area that interested me the most. I also learned the importance of meeting with faculty when I had questions – and I had the opportunity to participate in my first research project. These lessons were critical as a master’s student and beyond.

What is a typical day/week like at your job?  I have worked remotely since my oldest son who is now attending Clemson was in kindergarten. This has offered tremendous flexibility and work/life balance. I start most days early with video conferences with colleagues in Europe, China and India. If I am traveling, I often attend workshops with U.S. or global leadership teams, or I meet with key stakeholders.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? I am passionate about promoting a culture of life-long learning. It is gratifying to have an impact on the employees in our region and enable them to be their best selves at work.

What are your three top memories of your job/career?  Siemens is based in Germany and has a presence in 200 countries. Some of my favorite memories are the times I traveled internationally to places like Germany, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.  I have visited our headquarters in Germany over 40 times!  I met one of my best friends at work and we have worked together for most of my career.  I have enjoyed the opportunities to learn and grow in progressively challenging roles.   

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The Department of Psychology is part of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, a 21st-century land-grant college joining together a unique combination of schools and departments: Communication, Nursing, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health Sciences and Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. These areas have distinctive characteristics and missions – all joined together by a common thread of service to people and communities.