In second grade, Amber Dorr of Milaca dressed up as a psychologist for career day, not fully understanding what the profession would entail.

“I didn’t know anyone in psychology but maybe got the idea from a movie or TV,” said Dorr, who remained intrigued with the prospect of becoming a psychologist. “I always wanted to do something to help people.”

Once she took a college psychology course in high school, she developed an appreciation for the subject matter and knew from her first psychology course at Bemidji State that she had found her passion.

“I liked learning about the different disorders, symptoms and how people would think,” she said. “I like the idea of working with kids and young people, when some of those things are easier to detect.”

Dorr and her twin sister, Alyssa, are first-generation college students, and she plans to be the first in her family to earn an advanced degree. Her career goal is to do counseling, possibly in a college health care center. She was recently accepted as a McNair Scholar, a nationwide program to help prepare high-achieving undergraduates for graduate school.

As a McNair Scholar, Dorr will do research on racial micro-aggressions involving Native Americans in health care settings, a newfound interest for her. Dorr is enrolled in the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe but didn’t grow up immersed in the culture.

“I’ve learned a lot more at Bemidji State,” said Dorr, who appreciates the insights, although her interests in psychology encompass all cultures.

Drawn to a helping profession, Dorr is an exemplary leader in helping others at Bemidji State. She is president of the Council of Indian Students and the Psychology Club, has been secretary for Students for the Environment and works as a peer advisor and ambassador through the American Indian Resource Center. This semester she is a teaching assistant in the psychology department. She has also been involved in TRIO, a prep program for first-generation college students.

“Amber is frequently involved in study groups and always willing to assist students who are struggling to grasp a difficult concept,” said her advisor, Dr. Marsha Driscoll. “Among her peers, she is definitely one of the most motivated.”

Wherever her career takes her, Dorr said she hopes to eventually return to the north woods.

“I’d like to own a cabin on a lake,” she said. “I just love it here.”