School Psychology Students and Faculty Present at 2024 NASP Convention
Six graduate students, along with two faculty members from the Utah State University (USU) psychology department’s school psychology program attended and presented at the 2024 National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) annual convention held in New Orleans, Louisianna this month.
NASP represents and supports the profession of school psychology by advancing practices to improve students learning, behavior, and mental health. This year the NASP annual convention was held in New Orleans and allows professionals and students to connect with over 5,000 peers in the field to expand their professional networks. This year there were over 1,200 development sessions to target the unique interests of each person attending. Students from our school psychology program had the opportunity to present on their research interests ss part of these development sessions.
All six students who attended had the opportunity to present during the convention. Three students in the progam: Mary Phan, Ashely Herd, and Katie Reiter-Lavery, presented on the topic of Mindfulness-Based Intervention with teachers in the classroom. This presentation was based on research that was conducted as part of Phan’s thesis. “This was a sentimental presentation for me,” shares Herd, “when I was an undergraduate research assistant, I got my foot in the door of the School Mental Health lab by helping Mary out with this very project. It was really meaningful to have everything come full circle and get to help present her research, this time as a graduate student in the School Mental Health lab.”
These types of conventions provide an incredible opportunity for students to learn and further develop their understanding of their field from people from many different backgrounds. “These conferences are really helpful when it comes to learning about current research and how it affects what we do in the field,” explains Herd. “The mini-skills presentations can also be fun because I usually walk away with some good ideas regarding how I can apply those skills back home. Conferences serve as a valuable opportunity for networking and for getting in touch with other professionals who are interested in the same things as you.”
The experience of attending NASP’s annual convention is valuable for graduate students and faculty members alike as it provides the space to present research, fosters growth and camaraderie, and overall helps advance the field of school psychology