Major: Criminology and Criminal Justice
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Nysham Noushad, a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, decided to major in criminology and criminal justice with a minor in psychology during his second year of college.
“I’ve always been interested in understanding why people commit crimes and how the justice system can be improved, especially when it comes to mental health and victim support,” says Nysham.
In addition to classroom learning, Nysham has gained first-hand experience through an experiential learning internship with Family Service Lincoln at Beattie Elementary School.
The Youth Development Program at Family Service Lincoln focuses on partnering with schools, families, and neighborhoods to provide learning opportunities in safe environments to build stronger communities.
Nysham is a teacher assistant who helps with student engagement and accountability, student and family communication, and behavior management.
“I chose this internship at school because I wanted hands-on experience working with children, especially in developmental and behavioral contexts,” says Nysham. “My focus has been on supporting mental and physical development through structured activities, supervision, and one-on-one engagement.”
Nysham appreciates seeing his academic understanding of behavioral management move beyond his coursework into real-life interactions that can benefit young lives.
“One impactful moment was when I helped a student manage a challenging emotional moment by applying behavior management techniques,” says Nysham. “It made me realize how powerful calm communication and structured support can be.”
Nysham shares that the internship has benefitted his communication, adaptability, teamwork, crisis response, and child behavior management skills. He is grateful for the practical knowledge and practice he has gained that will empower him to meet his career goals.
“After graduation, I plan to either pursue graduate school in psychology or work in a setting related to behavioral health or victim services,” says Nysham. “This internship gives me relevant experience and helps build the foundation for both paths.”
