Understanding People, Inspiring Change: Noah Festerling’s Path in Forensic Psychology

For Noah Festerling, the study of psychology has always been rooted in a simple but complex question: why do people make the decisions they do?

That curiosity led him to take a leap of faith—leaving his lifelong home in rural Michigan for Montclair, where he pursued a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. Navigating a new environment while balancing work, research and graduate study wasn’t easy, he says, but it ultimately became a defining part of his experience.

“I love to understand people, the reasons they make decisions, and to hopefully improve their ability to make decisions,” he says. “To me, forensic psychology is the natural crossroads of understanding this relationship.”

Learning Through Real Experience

At Montclair, Festerling found that the most meaningful learning happened when theory met real life.

One standout moment came in his Cognitive Assessment course, where he administered IQ tests to individuals he already knew, an experience that challenged him to look beyond assumptions. “It was one of my first experiences really getting to put the puzzle pieces of someone’s life together in a clinical way,” he says. “I will always remember getting to connect more deeply with people I had assumed that I already knew.”

That hands-on approach extended beyond the classroom. Throughout his program, Festerling immersed himself in research focused on the criminal justice system, contributing to more than 10 conference presentations and publications. He also took initiative in securing a practicum site in the community with The Kintock Group, which provides re-entry services for adults involved in the justice system.

Through that work, he gained direct experience assessing and providing therapeutic support to individuals involved in the justice system—an opportunity that helped shape both his skills and his sense of purpose.

A Commitment to Growth and Empathy

Festerling’s experiences reinforced his belief in the importance of empathy within forensic psychology.

“A lot of people believe that those in the criminal justice system are not worthy of empathy,” he says. “To treat someone with kindness does not mean you have excused what they have done, but rather that you are willing to help them improve themselves.”

This perspective has become central to how he views his future in the field: as someone who can foster growth, even in difficult or complex circumstances. “If nothing else,” he says, “plant a seed of change for the individual to tend to when they are ready.”

Mentorship That Made an Impact

Close mentorship played a defining role in Festerling’s time at Montclair. Faculty members including Dr. Jessica Spat-Lemus and Dr. Christopher King helped shape his understanding of what it means to be an ethical and thoughtful clinician.

“Working with them has shaped my perspective on what it means to be a truly mindful, ethical scientist-practitioner,” he says. He credits their ability to bring clarity to complex ideas while offering direct, practical guidance. Just as importantly, he says, they created an environment where students felt supported while still being challenged to grow.

That experience, Festerling says, has left him feeling prepared to enter the field with a clear example of the kind of professional he hopes to become. “I can only hope to emulate the compassion and wisdom that they have both modeled so strongly.”

Looking Ahead

After graduation, Festerling plans to return to Michigan to work full-time in an applied setting before potentially pursuing further education.

Reflecting on his time at Montclair, he points to the program’s emphasis on hands-on experience as key to his confidence moving forward. “It’s one thing to read how to do something, and another to actually do it with a real person trusting you to help them as a professional,” he says. “I feel that my program offered that middle stage where I can practice those real and difficult skills under guidance.”

His definition of success has also shifted along the way. “Success used to be A’s for me,” he says. “Now, I’ve realized that happiness and success are so much more… The little things in life are what really will bring you joy.”

For Festerling, that perspective is paired with a belief he’ll carry forward into his work and life: “All people can—and will—change.”