Kelly Brock, Ph.D.

Back in high school, Professor Kelly Brock, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA, was constantly on the move and involved in many different activities. You were never really sure what she might be interested in doing next.

A pattern was being established.

Consider the dynamic, unexpected academic and professional career Professor Brock has had. After getting her B.S. at Sage in Physical Education, she earned an M.S.Ed and completed her Advanced Graduate Certificate in Behavioral Interventions in Autism. 

Today, while teaching a variety of graduate and undergraduate classes in the Esteves School of Education, Professor Brock also provides educational and behavioral consultation and professional development to public schools around the region. She is doing this all while finishing up her Ph.D. in Special Education. 

As a former student turned professor, Professor Brock  is in a position to know well what makes Sage stand out. “It’s the strength of the connections professors make with their students,” she says. “And it’s the collaboration that goes on between faculty members. My colleagues are beyond amazing.”

Professor Brock  teaches a broad range of courses, from Introduction to Special Education to Classroom Management, to Severe & Multiple Disabilities. The common thread running through all her classes, she says, is that they are interactive, and focus on “what’s really going on out there, and what are the current best practices.”

In addition, Professor Brock  says: “I share the stories of my personal experiences, which makes it more real and relevant to students.”

Professor Brock’s  experiences include having discovered a great deal about herself, as her interests and motivations changed and grew along the way. She loved being a physical education teacher, because she loves being active and doing something new everyday. She became drawn into special education because she feels challenged and inspired to help all students, especially those with disabilities.

To help guide undergraduate and graduate students, Professor Brock  often tells them: “Don’t be afraid if your career plans change. It might lead you down a different path that works perfectly for you.”

What Professor Brock  found at Sage, first as an undergraduate and now as a member of the faculty, is a place where you feel supported in whatever you choose to do.

“Sage is a place where you find lifelong friendships and guidance,” she says.