More than 1,000 counselors gathered in early October in Baton Rouge for the Louisiana Counseling Association Annual Conference, where the University of New Orleans Counselor Education Program was strongly represented by students, faculty, and alumni presenting and serving in leadership roles. The program was also recognized with numerous awards across student, alumni, and faculty categories.

Four current students received honors: doctoral candidates Rachel Rachlinksi (LCA Research Award), Kelli McFarland (LCA Future Professional Award), and Danielle Burton (LACES Graduate Student Research Award), as well as master’s student Faith Southerland (LMHCA Gloria Bockrath Scholarship).

Four alumni were acknowledged for their professional accomplishments: Dr. Heather Olivier (LCA Advocacy Award; keynote speaker), Dr. Yvanna Vicks (LACES Rising Counselor Educator Award), Dr. Chantrelle Varnado Johnson (LACES Outstanding Counselor Educator Award), and Dr. Adrianne Frischhertz (LACES Clinical Supervisor Award).

UNO faculty were also honored, with Dr. Chris Belser receiving the LACES Outstanding Research Award and Dr. Michelle Wade announced as President-Elect of the Louisiana Association for Counselor Education & Supervision.

The Counselor Education Program offers a CACREP-accredited master’s degree with concentrations in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling, as well as Louisiana’s only CACREP-accredited Counselor Education PhD at a public university.