Western Illinois University graduate students from the School Psychology program met recently to prepare for potential internship positions, beginning in 2023.

Graduate students from the Specialist in School Psychology program meet annually with district psychologists and administrators to discuss internship, graduate assistantship and practicum opportunities. Since the start of the pandemic, student-faculty meet-and-greets were forced to shift from an in-person format to virtual meetings.

This year, students were able to attend a hybrid meet-and-greet with district partners, joining both in person and on Zoom, with representatives from Illinois and Iowa. The hybrid format allowed district partners from over 200 miles away join students in Macomb for this event.

Psychology Department Meet and Greet

The WIU School Psychology program thanks this year’s representatives: BMP Tri-County Cooperative, Four Rivers Special Education District, Great Prairie Area Educational Agency, Heartland Area Educational Agency, Henry Stark Counties Special Education District, Knox-Warren Special Education District, Mississippi Bend Area Educational Agency, Rockford Public Schools District 205, Sangamon Area Special Education District, Special Education Association of Peoria County, Springfield Public Schools District 186, Tazewell Mason Counties Special Education Association, and Valley View Community Unit School District 365.

These districts joined students for this half-day event, speaking with both first- and second-year students about available career paths in School Ppsychology. WIU was also able to welcome back alumni who are now fully established school psychologists and district administrators.

Alumni attending this year’s event include:

• Ben Lilly- Rockford Public Schools District 205 (current intern)

• Debbie Schoppenhorst (1999)- Springfield District #186

• Heather Rodgers (1998) and Keenan Kittell (2015)- Sangamon Area Special Education District

• Jack Wade (2009)- BMP Tri-County Cooperative

• Kiley Vinyard (2022)- Four Rivers Special Education District

• Kim Engelstad (2012)- Mississippi Bend AEA

• Tamara Bryan (1997), Kait Nordstrom (2020), Jeff Belvel (1998), Shannon Arzola (2021)- Henry Stark Counties Special Education District

Students were able to connect with faculty from both states, and look forward to supporting school districts in filling needed school psychologist positions.

For more information about WIU’s school psychology program, visit wiu.edu/cas/psychology/school_psychology.

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Sean Leary Director of Digital Media

Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.