Inspiring Graduate: Killy Kitzmann (’24)
- Hometown: Eau Claire
- Degree: M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Specializations: Alcohol and Other Drugs Counseling; Crisis and Trauma Counseling
Veteran Killy Kitzmann was an active-duty Navy Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, Petty Officer 3rd Class from 2013 to 2018. He served two tours to Iraq.
When Kitzmann began his graduate degree at UW-Stout, he made earning his degree his job. He earned his master's in clinical mental health counseling on May 4, along with 1,037 graduates.
He will work in mental health counseling in the Twin Cities, with a focus on the substance abuse population.
How has your UW-Stout education changed you?
It helped me discover the kind of person that I want to be and to continue pushing myself to be better.
I feel more prepared now than during any aspect of my undergraduate. I feel that leaving this program will be setting me up for success in every aspect of the profession.
What stands out about your UW-Stout experience?
The professors. By having the ability to connect with them on a personal level as well as professionally, I was given an opportunity to learn life skills outside of counseling.
These are professors who actually care about their students and aren’t focused on the letters behind their names. They care about the content and connection that education can provide.
I personally feel that all professors and educators should have the same approach to teaching as our professors do in this program. Without them, the world would be a lesser place.
What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?
Learning how to navigate my own self while also trying to become a competent clinician in mental health was challenging. It was something that I did not expect, and when it started to happen I began to notice more and more about myself. Specifically, while in the Treatment Planning course, I began to examine why I do what I do, and that exploration was draining.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I’m most proud of the person that I have become in the last two years. I wasn’t who I am now, and I’ve gained a perspective on life that has left me a better person. The biggest thing is that this program has allowed me to constantly keep my personal inventory and keep myself in check.
