Wed,
05/20/2026 – 01:36pm
Three cohorts of doctoral students within The University of Southern Mississippi’s
School of Psychology applied, interviewed and were matched with pre-doctoral psychology internships readying them for life beyond the classroom. These nationally coveted internship
placements, facilitated by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship
Centers (APPIC) online match program, serve as the final stage of the Ph.D. psychology
program.
The pre-doctoral internship provides clinical, counseling and school psychology students
with specialized on-site training at partner institutions across the country. The
highly competitive nature of the program meant that this year, there were only 3,978
residency positions available for the 4,480 psychology students applying from universities
nationwide.
One hundred percent of Southern Miss students who applied were successfully matched.
Students learn if they were selected for a placement on Match Day, which takes place
annually each spring with the start dates for most internships beginning in July.
“The School of Psychology’s consistently high pre-doctoral internship match rate is
a clear indicator of the exceptional quality of training provided in our applied psychology
doctoral programs,” said Dr. Melanie Leuty, director of the School of Psychology.
“Faculty provide outstanding mentorship in research and scholarship, ensuring that
students develop strong analytical and scientific skills alongside the development
of their clinical competencies. As a result, our graduates get selected for highly
competitive pre-doctoral internships and enter these internships and our profession
well-prepared to deliver evidence-based care.”
Southern Miss provides rigorous and immersive clinical preparation and hands-on practice
through the Center for Behavioral Health (CBH), an on-campus training clinic, and offers quality practicum placements with
local agency partners across the state.
Lily Hammer, a clinical psychology student, matched with the Minneapolis VA. She said
one of her main reasons for attending Southern Miss was the exceptional training provided
by the CBH and professionally licensed faculty.
“I have felt very supported by faculty in my independent research and professional
development,” said Hammer. “This training allowed me to develop research and clinical
skills that made me a competitive applicant for pre-doctoral internship programs,
resulting in a successful match.”
Southern Miss students have regularly matched with Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities,
university medical centers, counseling centers, public school districts, community
mental health centers and private practices.
“Receiving that email was the culmination and validation of years of hard work in
academic study, clinical training and research,” said Nikkie Bailey, a counseling
psychology doctoral student who matched with Eastern Oklahoma VA. “Match Day was one
of the most rewarding and exciting high-stakes moments of my life. My training and
experiences at Southern Miss have played a defining role in shaping who I am as an
emerging psychologist, which gave me exactly what I came here looking for, exactly
what I needed and more.”
“I was able to develop promising application materials that provided insight into
my journey as a doctoral student at USM,” said Kaylee McKinney, a school psychology
doctoral student who matched with the University of Arizona Psych Internship Consortium.
“I am immensely grateful to be continuing my journey ‘To The Top’ within the beautiful
state of Arizona and hope to continue making a positive difference.”
The 2026 student residencies include:
Clinical Psychology:
Kendall Beals, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, General Mental Health-Serious Mental
Illness Track
Kylee Behringer, Case Western Reserve University/Counseling Services, Psychology Internship
Emily Cordova, Monterey County Behavioral Health, Psychology Internship
Akila Gopalkrishnan, Indiana University School of Medicine, Child/Pediatric Track
Lily Hammer, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, Standard Track
Cassi Springfield, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Serious Mental Illness
Track
Counseling Psychology:
Nikkie Bailey, Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System
Mallory Lastrapes, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, General Internship Track
Lindsey Ostermiller, VA Western New York Healthcare System, Health Psychology Track
Summer Steely, Center for Behavioral Medicine, Forensic Assessment and Treatment
School Psychology:
Mikaela Anderson, High Plains Psychology Internship Consortium, Greeley-Evans District
6
Jordan Etherington, Autism Assessment & Outpatient Services
Brittany Garza, Franciscan Children’s Behavioral Health Services, Neurodevelopmental
Track
Kaylee McKinney, University of Arizona Psych Internship Consortium, Tucson Unified
School District
Lourdes Rodriguez, High Plains Psychology Internship Consortium, Educational Service
Unit #13
Amarah Sweaks, Nebraska Internship Consortium, Boys Town Omaha Child/Adolescent Outpatient
Track
Learn more about the Southern Miss School of Psychology and its programs.