School Psychology Graduate Student Spotlight: Supporting Students to be Successful in School
April 10, 2025 | admin
The world is always changing, and our students learn to respond to it with insight and compassion. One Miami University graduate program that develops tomorrow’s leaders and changemakers is School Psychology — offered through the College of Education, Health, and Society — which provides students with training in intervention, consultation, mental health counseling, and research methodology.
Here’s a spotlight on Lovia Osei ’25, a graduate student in the School Psychology program, and how she collaborates with teachers and school staff to support students, helping them to be successful in school.
Making a Difference with School Psychology
“A lot of people actually aren’t familiar with School Psychology. We work a lot with students and faculty within the school system to help students achieve successfully, behaviorally, emotionally, and academically. So, I collaborate with a lot of teachers as well as school staff to support students that also are receiving special education services — or even some general education students — to be successful at school.”
Collaborating in Graduate School
The collaboration with faculty and students has helped Osei grow in graduate school and within her program. She mentions, “My graduate school experience, it’s been very eventful. I’ve met a lot of friends, and the faculty here have also helped me be acclimated to Oxford as well as the environment. Coming from Massachusetts as an out-of-state student, I was very skeptical and scared about the experience.”
Choosing Miami for Graduate School
“I chose Miami for graduate school because during my interview day for my specific program, Dr. Mezher — the program coordinator of the School Psychology program here — her energy, kindness, and support throughout the process has really been something that I’ve appreciated a lot. Meeting her and other faculty that support her have been very beneficial, and I’m very grateful for that.”
Osei studying at McGuffey Hall
Favorite Moments
“The graduate school hosts a lot of different events that I’ve been able to be a part of — like professional development experiences, and I also was lucky enough to have a GA position within the graduate school and collaborate with more outside of just my department. Some favorite moments I would say is Graduate Student Appreciation Week that they hold. That was fantastic. I was nominated to receive an award for being an exceptional graduate student here at Miami. And I adored meeting other graduate students and hearing experiences.”
Providing Advice for Others Considering Miami for Graduate School
“Take any and every opportunity that you get to apply to schools out of state. Miami — It’s a big campus, but it feels homey and just right. So don’t be scared to get out of your comfort zone and take that little travel if you’re thinking about it and come to Miami. There’s a lot of different programs to offer here.”
Because of Miami …
Osei is set to graduate this spring. And, starting in the fall for the next school year, she’ll be working as a school psychologist for the Hamilton County Educational Service Center. She mentions, “Because of Miami, I am grateful for all the experiences I’ve gotten through my program and also being able to collaborate with others within my program and also outside of my program. I’m grateful for the people and the experiences — and just Miami being my home for the past three years.”
Ready to spark change? Learn more about the experiences of students, faculty, and alumni of Miami’s School Psychology program.
