Beth Doll, professor of educational psychology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of School Psychologists. The award recognizes outstanding school psychologists who have had a national impact on the field.

Doll received the award during the annual convention of the National Association for School Psychologists Feb. 19 in Baltimore, MD. At the same convention, she was selected to deliver the Legends in School Psychology address. Her talk focused on how school psychology has changed the world and continues to do so. This is the first time the same individual received the Lifetime Achievement Award and delivered the Legends in School Psychology address in the same year.

“These two awards represent the respect and appreciation of my colleagues and contemporaries from around the nation who have themselves been tireless advocates for the mental health of children and youth,” said Doll. “Winning either award would have been a remarkable honor; winning both in the same year was totally unexpected and very affirming.”

Doll began her career as a school psychologist, affording her important insights into the needs of children and educators that she went on to apply successfully in her research career. Her research has spanned topics from children’s friendships to the pragmatics of school psychology to development of an innovative strategy for assessing student perceptions of classroom learning environments and strengthening classroom climates based on those perceptions.

Doll has served on the editorial board of all three major school psychology journals and has served as an officer or president of three state school psychology associations as well as president and council representative from Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. In prior years, the Nebraska School Psychologists Association honored her with the Nebraska School Psychologist of the Year Award (2005) and the Founder’s Award (2011).

Doll came to Nebraska’s Department of Educational Psychology in 2000. She served as associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Education and Human Sciences from 2011-2016 and interim dean of the college from July 2017 to July 2019.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Michigan State University; master’s degree in clinical psychology from Eastern Michigan University; and a doctorate degree in school psychology from the University of Kentucky.

The National Association of School Psychologists is a professional association representing more than 25,000 school psychologists, graduate students and related professionals throughout the United States and an additional 25 countries worldwide. As the world’s largest organization of school psychologists, NASP works to advance effective practices to improve students’ learning, behavior and mental health.