Southeastern's Graduate Counseling program recognized as "outstanding" in region
Contact: Rene Abadie
11/11/10
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Southeastern Counseling Program Recognized – Southeastern Louisiana University’s graduate program in counseling was named the Outstanding Master’s Counseling Program by the Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision. Displaying their award are members of the counseling faculty, front row, left to right: Patricia Thomas, Interim Department Head June Williams, and Paul Cesar; back row, left to right: Peter Emerson, Laura Fazio-Griffith, Mary Ballard and Hunter Alessi.
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s graduate program in counseling was named the 2010 Outstanding Master’s Counseling Program by the Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES).
The announcement was made at the recent bi-annual conference of the organization, which was held in Williamsburg, Va. With 14 member states, SACES is the largest of five regions that make up the national organization, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, a division of the American Counseling Association.
“We are very proud to have received this recognition by our peer organization and members,” said June Williams, associate professor and interim head of the Department of Counseling and Human Development. “The Southern Region has 91 master’s programs that are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), so to be selected from this large a field is very meaningful.”
Southeastern’s graduate program was selected based upon its program design, faculty achievements and service, and student and alumni accomplishments. The 60-hour program – with concentrations in school counseling, community counseling and marriage and family counseling – provides the academic coursework required to become a licensed professional counselor in Louisiana and most other states. School counseling graduates gain the necessary credentials to become certified school counselors. Southeastern’s program is also one of only a handful in the region to offer play therapy courses.
Williams said Southeastern counseling students consistently score above the national average on standardized exams, and graduates have a high rate of securing employment.
“We try to assist our students through workshops and an annual career fair every spring that’s sponsored by our honor society Chi Sigma Iota,” she said.
Williams noted that faculty members in the department are active in professional organizations and associations with many holding leadership positions at local, state and national levels. All counseling faculty members have at one time served on the executive board of the Louisiana Counseling Association and three have served as national presidents of specialty divisions and as members of the Louisiana Licensure Board for Counselors. All are regular presenters at state, regional and national conferences.
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