Kiara Maher

Kiara Maher is a Troy native and always knew of Russell Sage College as a “tight community.” 

But what really attracted her to Sage for graduate school was its offerings in the area of Forensic Mental Health. 

Kiara’s ultimate goal is to become a forensic psychologist, so she enrolled in Sage’s Counseling and Community Psychology master’s program with a Forensic Mental Health certificate (Sage also offers a standalone master’s in Forensic Mental Health.)

The Counseling program will prepare her to take the exam to practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and build experience before pursuing the doctorate required for forensic psychologists.

“I really enjoy the class work,” said Kiara. “I’m taking Professional Issues, which focuses on multicultural awareness and how to be an ethical therapist. That matters to me. I am taking Forensic Mental Health, about the forensic system and how criminal justice and psychology interact. Then, I’m taking Theories of Counseling, which goes through all the models of counseling and how to apply them.” 

She’s also a graduate assistant at the new Women’s Institute at Russell Sage College. 

“I’ve always been interested in social identities and how that affects people’s perceptions and how they interact with the world,” said Kiara, who majored in Psychology and minored in Women and Gender Studies as an undergraduate. “My involvement with The Women’s Institute will allow me to continue to be engaged with issues around women and gender studies.”

She looks forward to working with the institute for the duration of her three-year graduate program. “We will literally be growing together, which is a cool opportunity.”