He's not a bad kid at all, he just has a habit of wandering. The first grader at Boght Hills Elementary School would ask to go to the bathroom, and instead of promptly returning to class, he'd go anywhere else. He'd roam the halls or swing by his older brother's 4th grade class. After sitting down and talking with the student, the school psychologist came up with a plan. But, she would need an assist from Kathryn Nerber '26.
"We worked with his teacher and came up with specific times he could be excused from class. I'd pick him up, and we'd go on walks together. We had the best time, and he knew that if he didn't disappear from class anymore, he'd get to go on these walks with me."
Nerber spent last fall interning alongside the school psychologist. She observed counseling sessions that sometimes included parents and teachers. She also got to witness (and be part of) the powerful way thoughtful interventions can correct behavior.
"It was awesome. He was the student I connected with the most. I got to see how the interventions work first-hand. I was able to help him do better, and it wasn't just for the teacher's sake. This will benefit him throughout his life."
Nerber knew she wanted to study psychology, and she's always had an interest in working with kids, but she didn't discover this particular intersection until last year. In Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, taught by Kristin Miller, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Nerber learned about psychological disorders and how they present differently in children. Miller, a nationally certified school psychologist, introduced Nerber to the profession.
"That class really opened my eyes to what I want to do and then it was solidified with the internship."
Nerber will need to complete a specific master's program before applying for jobs as a school psychologist. Miller has been involved with that process as well.
"She emails me every week and asks how graduate school applications are going and wants to know how she can help. The psychology department is very close knit. All of the professors are great."
As for the six-year-old with a penchant for disappearing from the classroom?
"That first week, he was still leaving the classroom a lot. But by the end of the semester, he'd wait for me. He loved going to the psychologist's office and playing games with me. It was awesome being able to make a difference!"
"Kat is a highly engaged, thoughtful, and motivated student with a genuine interest in how psychology supports student well-being. Teaching her has been a true pleasure! Through the psychology internship she has connected classroom learning with meaningful, hands-on experience, building on the skills that make her academically exceptional. I am confident she will excel in graduate school and become a school psychologist who makes a lasting, positive difference in students’ lives."
Kristin Miller, Ph.D., professor of psychology
