May 2018 commencement spotlight: Macy Palmer

02 May 2018     By Kelcey Buck

Macy Palmer will tell you that attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was not so much a decision she made as it was the plan she had for life after high school all along. She was going to be a Husker, no questions asked. 

Palmer, a Lincoln native, also seemed destined to work with individuals with special needs, which is exactly what she will do after earning her bachelor’s degree in special education (7-12) Saturday during the university’s undergraduate commencement ceremony at Pinnacle Bank Arena. 

Her path to special education began as a teenager. Palmer was 10 when her brother was born. Three years later he was diagnosed with autism. 

“Watching his development and growth was an inspiration as I was still growing up myself,” Palmer said. “He saw the world from a completely different perspective than I did, and we were raised in the same household. Since then, I dove full force into the field of working with individuals with special needs.” 

When she arrived at Nebraska, Palmer was planning to major in speech-language pathology, but quickly realized she wanted more interactions and face-to-face time with children. She decided to switch to special education and made what she described as an “impulse decision” to work with grades 7-12, rather than elementary students. 

“Now, as I look back, I have decided that what influenced my decision the most is the fact that the lessons I teach my students directly influence their life after school,” Palmer explained. “I am teaching vocational, independent living, coping, behavior management skills that will hopefully stick with the students for the rest of their lives.” 

Through Nebraska’s special education program, Palmer has been working in special education classrooms throughout Lincoln since her sophomore year. She is grateful for the variety of settings she experienced. 

“I really appreciate how many different opportunities there were for me to get out there and find my niche. There are many different directions to take this degree, so it was great to be able to get out there and find where I fit best.” 

Eventually, Palmer plans to pursue a master’s degree specializing in either autism spectrum disorder or behavior strategies. For now, she’s excited to focus on beginning her career as a special education teacher in the emotional disturbances program at Goodrich Middle School in Lincoln.

“I think what I love most about this world of working with individuals with disabilities is that everyone is treated as unique. We all have abilities and needs, quirks and struggles, and each person’s attributes are truly recognized and utilized in this field.”