Derrick Shepard earned his Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and Counseling from Tennessee Technological University. Derrick has extensive experience in the Office of Disability Services, Student Support Services, and the Academic Success Center at UTK. In addition, he has worked with clients in private practice, outpatient, and inpatient settings. He has a strong desire to help students grow and develop their professional counselor identity through coursework and outside-of-class mentoring. His research interests include multicultural and social justice counseling competencies, social class as embedded in the counseling relationship, and counselor education pedagogy.