Mental Health Services Professional Scholarship Recipient Puts Sizeable Funds to Work in Pursuit of Her Why

In the beginning, Lisa Charles was drawn to a paraprofessional role in the local public schools in order to be on the same schedule as her school-aged children. During her initial interview, when asked if she preferred to work with the general- or special-ed population, Charles chose the latter and has scarcely looked back. In fact, the chance to make a difference in the lives of other families’ children—while forging her own educational path forward— has kept Charles returning, day in and day out, for nine years. 

“I’ve been in the same sub-separate classroom for students with autism the whole time, and I absolutely love it,” says Charles, an instructional support assistant in the East Bridgewater Public School District. When she first learned about the Mental Health Services Professional (MHSP) Scholarship, Charles was deciding between a pair of paths—either becoming a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) or a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)—in order to continue working with this population. Instead, upon the urging of her superintendent, Charles met with Kerri Augusto, PhD, Director of Undergraduate Studies to learn more about the BS in Psychology and Human Services program at William James College.

“I was at a good spot in my life,” says Charles, a native of Dorchester, whose own kids were older and more independent than when she had begun working in the public schools. Following a first career in communications followed by a short time in real estate, Charles enrolled in the bachelor’s program in August 2023. 

“It’s busy and hectic,” says Charles, who began the program as a full-time student and made the switch to part-time this year in order to better juggle the needs (and extracurricular activities) of her own children who are now in high school. When compared with earning her associates degree in Business Administration and Management, the flexibility of the William James College program has been key. 

“This time around, I knew the road I wanted to venture down and it’s been really enjoyable,” says Charles who enjoys using her on-the-job experience in a special-ed classroom to complement her coursework. Take, for example, a recent class in Autism and Disability. 

“I had a lot to give to that class, because I work with those populations every day,” says Charles who looks forward to commencing the practicum portion of her coursework come fall, ideally in the very classroom where she’s currently ensconced.  

As part of the MHSP Paraprofessional Career Pipeline Component of the grant, whose goal it is to increase the number and diversity of trained providers available to address the shortages of mental health services professionals in schools served by high-need Local Educational Agencies, Charles was awarded one of ten scholarships available each year to defray the costs of tuition and fees towards the completion of a bachelor’s degree at William James College.

“The kids themselves are just amazing, and it has been so rewarding—despite the limitations of a disability—to experience what they can accomplish when given the opportunity,” says Charles, who works one-on-one with students in grades three through six (the exact age-range of her own kids when she first joined the District).  

For Charles, the MHSP Program has come with myriad benefits — among them generous tuition support ($11,000 for full-time, $5,500 for part-time) which nearly covers the entire bill. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the program reflects a collaboration between William James College and various high-need school districts across the Commonwealth—including East Bridgewater. 

 “This program has given me the opportunity to pair the two, work and school, which is great because it’s all connected,” says Charles, who is on track to graduate in December 2025. She cites the program’s faculty advisor, Lynn M. Cormier-Sayarath, MSW, LICSW, as someone who has helped to facilitate any bumps along the way.

“I’ve taken several classes with her and she is someone who is easy to talk to, and we have had some interesting and informative classroom discussions,” says Charles. In her experience, a highlight of the BS program has been the blended option which allows for one three-hour, in-person meeting (and a trio of synchronous Zoom sessions) per class each semester.

 For Charles, the motivation needed to continue doing this important work remains rooted in the invisible.

 “The ability to help special-ed students achieve all they are capable of is what fuels me—especially as their potential is not something everyone can see.” 

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