Faculty members and doctoral students from Counseling and Human Services will be celebrated as academic achievers and leaders at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) conference in Philadelphia from Oct. 7-11.
Emeritus Faculty Member Janine Bernard will receive the Legacy Award and Nicole Hill, professor and chair, will be given the Outstanding Mentor Award. Doctoral students Jaime Castillo and Michele Lopez will receive the Emerging Leaders Award. Castillo is also the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Student Leadership Award.
“These awards help shine a light on the outstanding work that our faculty members and doctoral students are doing,” says Joanna Masingila, dean of the School of Education. “I’m very proud of our counseling and human services department and applaud them for these wonderful accolades.”
Bernard’s exceptional commitment and service to the profession, both nationally and internationally, along with her numerous publications, led to her award. Bernard’s research has resulted in lasting change and has paved the way for counselor educators and supervisors for nearly 40 years. Bernard’s co-authored book, “Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision,” now in its fifth edition, is the most used text in supervision in counselor education programs. In addition, Bernard’s work in clinical supervision and her theories and models on supervisor training are revered and used by many in the field. Professor Bernard is an active site visitor for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP), serves as president of the North Atlantic Region of ACES, and served on the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
Hill is being celebrated with the Outstanding Mentor Award for her commitment to the profession and her exemplary service to students. Hill is committed to leadership and professional engagement that strengthens counseling, counselor education and supervision. Her professional career spans over 15 years with a focus on working with children and adolescents, multicultural counseling competencies, professional development of faculty and graduate students and mentoring. Hill currently serves as doctoral program co-coordinator and CACREP liaison, serves on the executive boards of Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) an international honor society for students, professional counselors, and counselor educators, ACES and Counselors for Social Justice.
Along with the faculty awards, Castillo and Lopez will be recognized for their accomplishments and dedication to the profession and students by receiving Emerging Leader Awards. Castillo, also the recipient of the Outstanding Student Leadership Award, has extensive co-teaching and supervising experiences. Castillo promotes a learning environment with students that encourages participation, shared learning and cooperative engagement. Lopez prides herself on her commitment as a service provider and mentor for future counselors. In service, Lopez serves as an instructor in developmental classes for college students, teaches clinical courses for counselors in training and practices as a professional counselor in a community clinic working with people of color who have disabilities.