LMU School of Education and Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts Announce New Scholarship Opportunity for Aspiring Counselors

LMU's School of Education (SOE) and Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA) are proud to announce a pioneering partnership aimed at supporting seniors who are interested in pursuing careers in counseling. Through this groundbreaking partnership, up to 30 graduating seniors from BCLA will be eligible to receive scholarship awards of up to 15 percent to enroll in the Master of Arts in Counseling program at SOE. The initiative aims to provide financial support and reduce barriers to obtaining an advanced degree for students who are passionate about supporting the mental health and wellness of others.

"We are excited to welcome future alumni of BCLA to our counseling program," says Roosevelt O. Shelton, Ph.D., interim dean of SOE. "Ongoing personnel shortages in education and mental health services are a strain on our schools and communities. By making it easier for some of LMU's best and brightest graduates to further their education with us, we have the opportunity to cultivate leaders in these fields who will strive for a better future for all people."

The scholarships are available for BCLA students majoring in psychology, sociology or related undergraduate fields, and who have an interest in becoming counselors in K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, or in other clinical and community settings. "SOE's master's program in counseling is strongly aligned with many of the skills our students learned in their undergraduate majors," says Robbin D. Crabtree, Ph.D., dean of BCLA. "This new scholarship opportunity supports their academic and professional goals by providing a direct pathway to pursue an advanced degree here at LMU."

The counseling program's three specialty tracks prepare candidates with the skills, knowledge, and credential and/or pre-licensure requirements needed to work in their desired fields immediately after completing their degrees. "Students will learn to put to practical use their knowledge of child and human development, psychological theories, theories of social justice, advocacy skills, interventional and critical thinking skills, and understanding of social relationships," says Sheri Castro-Atwater, Ph.D., academic director of SOE's counseling program. "Being a counselor is a wonderful way to make an impact on the lives of students and many others."

The partnership represents a significant step forward in boosting the number and diversity of professionals in the counseling profession. By providing access to high-quality education and training, LMU SOE and BCLA are empowering the next generation of counselors to make meaningful contributions to their communities.