Student Spotlight: Julia McGuire, School Psychology MA/CAGS Program

Working with little kids is my passion. Through my experience working as a paraprofessional in an elementary school in collaboration with the school psychologist, I fell in love with the idea of helping kids and families through assessment, intervention, and consultation. When I decided to go back to school to become a school psychologist, I knew William James College (WJC) was the only school for me as the caring community and expertise of all our dedicated professors was the perfect place to receive my graduate education. The cohort and professors care deeply about you and you never feel alone in this learning process, which is the same way that school psychologists make important decisions; in conjunction with other professionals and colleagues to figure out what’s best for the child.

With the majority of school psychologists being White, it is important to me that I understand how to work with students and families from all backgrounds. This is why I am part of a grant program that trains psychologists to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students. These trainings include enhancing cultural competence for students with disabilities, culturally competent interventions, and serving youth who are facing homelessness. Once licensed, I’d be interested in providing services to families who have children who are English language learners (ELLs) and assessment services for preverbal students. It’s been enlightening to be in class at WJC with the talented faculty and then apply what we are learning at the schools – it’s helping me to define my professional interests.  

School psychologists have a tremendous impact on students and families. Schools are often a student's first experience with mental health support, and sometimes they are the only place where these challenges are addressed. This field has training that combines child behavior and learning - as well as mental health training - to help children thrive. I am excited to be a part of it!

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