Even as a student at McLean High School six years ago, Katherine Kelly demonstrated a strong commitment to the well-being of others. She took on leadership roles in McLean's chapters of Sources of Strength and Our Minds Matter, mental health organizations dedicated to supporting peers, and designed a journaling initiative for wellness that earned her the 2019 Strength in Our Voices Positive Change Scholarship. Now, with a brand-new master’s degree in hand from the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work, Katherine is committed to continuing that dedication to the welfare of others as she explores professional opportunities in the clinical social work field.
After graduating from McLean High in 2019, she received a double major from William & Mary in psychology and kinesiology in 2023, as she and her classmates overcame not just the academic rigors of college, but also the disruptions that emerged from COVID. In keeping with her concern for others, during college she also served as a resident assistant and spent a semester in Dublin, Ireland interning at a disability services organization.
Upon graduating college in 2023, she was thrilled to be accepted to the University of Michigan’s graduate school of social work – rated as the top social work program in the country. While there, she focused on dialectical behavior therapy, an evidence-based treatment approach in the field of mental health. The school was enthused with her work, selecting Katherine to serve as student speaker at the graduate program’s commencement ceremony.
After a few weeks of well-deserved rest and relaxation since graduating in December, Katherine is now looking forward to finding the right position to use her professional skills to serve others. “Mental health has always been a deeply important part of my life, and I’m excited to now address critical issues in a professional capacity.” Katherine said. “I can finally pursue what I’ve been passionate about since high school: walking alongside individuals through their challenges and supporting them in building the lives they aspire to live.”