Student Ambassador: Julia McGuire

Hello everyone! My name is Julia McGuire and I am a school psychology student here at William James College! I am from Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology with a concentration in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell in 2021.

I always really loved to work with children. During high school, I volunteered with children and became an academic tutor to help children grow. At this time, I also became very interested in the brain and how our brains function, giving us all a unique perspective about the world around us. When I graduated from my undergraduate career, I worked in an elementary school as a paraprofessional and was able to talk with the school psychologist frequently. I loved the combination of testing, counseling, and direct work with the elementary school students which ultimately led me to pursue a career in school psychology.

The reason why I chose William James College was ultimately because of the sense of community I immediately received. I have felt supported on this journey of becoming a school psychologist by not only the faculty in the program but also by the fellow students in my cohort. Another deciding factor in choosing William James College was that we are able to get into the public school systems and work directly with a school psychologist during our first year. This invaluable experience coupled with the coursework we take at William James College has created a rich learning environment.

One piece of advice I have for new students would be to stay organized. There are a lot of moving parts in graduate school such as your assignments and hours at the field placement, so it is very helpful to have this all written out to help you see what’s coming up and to not miss any assignments. My second piece of advice would be to reach out for help when you need it. There are plenty of people to help you such as the professors or members of the cohort. It is important to remember you are never alone in this graduate school journey!

If you have any questions about the school psychology program or what it is like to be a student here at William James and would like to speak further, please feel free to reach out. I would be happy to speak with you about my experience at William James College! I hope to hear from you soon!