Fred P. Piercy, PhD, is professor and head of the Department of Human Development at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Dr. Piercy has won both national and university teaching awards. He has written over 160 published articles, 5 books, and 35 funded grants. Dr. Piercy served as the editor of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy from 2012-2017. In this episode, Dr. Piercy discusses how he first gained interest in the profession and what led him to be an MFT. He begins with his journey into Academia and his favorite thing he has ever written. Fred explains how research shaped the MFT field over the years and the future of doctoral education. Lastly, he talks about the many lessons that he has learned from his students.