During the Arkansas Counseling Association Conference in Hot Springs, Ark., Nov. 9-11, graduate student Alisha Frazier presents her poster on the impact of drug prevention pragrams on later drug use. Students in the counseling program trained to become licensed professional counselors and counselors for schools and community health programs. -Courtesyof Or. Jenene Alexander Graduate studenf5 Michelle Coizman and AlexMartinez participate in class introductions before an evening Master of Science in Counseling class Jan. 19. "The introductions revealed that we both shared a common interest in the Spanish language," Martinez soid . -Amber Bczcrgoni new master's degree offers diversity One student said it was the iffi?Jrtance oflistening that made the program unique. Another said the Christian approach stood out. TheMaster ofScience in Counseling program began in 2002 in response to a desire to train professional counselors who had the option of practicing in schools, Dr. Jenene Alexander, director of the Master of Science in Counseling program, said. "We wrote the program to satisfY requirements for being a counselor who was school~based or a counselor preparing for private practice or community health practice," Alexander said. "We're a lifespan program, and that's what's so exciting because you can choose your focus; train as a counselor, and then practicum and internship can be in [the student's} area of praccice." One of the aspects unique to the program was the Christian approach. Graduate student Alisha Frazier said the Christian aspect was what helped her decide to continue her education at Harding. • t--li !people "The appeal ofHarding's program is it is offered in a Christian setting," Frazier said. "It would be difficult to go through this type of program at a state school." One of the things graduate student Sam Peters said he had taken from the program was the differ– ent approaches to counseling. "lThe approaches] all focus on the importance ofpeople and the importance oflistening and how imponant it is for someone to have somel:xxiy they can talk to about whatever they want," Peters said. Each ofthe 55 students enrolled in the program was required to complete practicum outside of the classroom using counseling principles in a real world setting. Peters worked in the Career Center as the graduate assistant doing career counseling, which counted toward most of rhe hours. "1 really feel like I've had a leg up on people in the program because Tget to do rhis, just on a smaller scale," Peters said. Alongwith the practicwn, srudents in the program completed 48 hours ofcourses that included Crisis Intervention Counseling,Techniques ofCounseling, Christian Ethics in Education and an internship. The program also offered the option to become a licensed professional counselor upon completion of Board of Examination requirements. Peters planned to help families with children who had disabilities because of the high d ivorce rate within those families. Frazier, who planned mbeeither a private therapist or a school counselor, said her favorite part of the program was experiencing rhedifferenr facets of counseling and the support of the professors. Peters said his favorite pare was the interaction with the orher students. "Irs so cool to me to see how many different types of people are going inro the counseling field," Peters said. "It's so appropriate because we have thar stereotypical view of the counselor, but really a lot of people don't need that rype of counseling. It's individual counselors for individual people and finding what the best fit is for different people." ·(ynthia Noah
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