West Chester University Editor: Kelsey Davis [email protected] 610-436-2559 x2500

Fall 2016 Newsletter D E P A R T M E N T

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INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE: “Welcome Chi Sigma Alpha”

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“Higher

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Education and Student Affairs Attend Symposium” “Collaborating Counselors”

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“Publications”

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“Presentations” 5 “Chi Sigma Iota 6 News” “Summer 2017 Study Abroad Opportunity in

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Italy” “New to the Department!”

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Message from the Faculty

Advisor: Dr. Eric Owens [email protected]

C O U N S E L O R

We hope that the Fall 2016 semester is going well as we head into November! In this newsletter you will find important dates, information about faculty and their research activities, spotlights on our faculty, current students, and a recent award we

received, and an invitation to make your own contributions to the newsletter. If you are new

to our programs, make sure that you check our D2L counselor education site for important dates, job announcements,

certification requirements, and internship or graduate assistantship opportunities. The more you get involved in the more experience you can acquire and the better your resume will look! Finally, we want to congratulate all of our December graduates. We are sure you will do great things!

Our Outstanding Counselor Education Program! West Chester’s Department of Counselor education was awarded the 2016 Pennsylvania Counseling Association Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award! This award is given annually to recognize an outstanding counseling program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The application for this award was organized by a recent School Counseling graduate, Jennifer Toby. Along with Ms. Toby’s application, 9 current students and alumni wrote letters of support highly reinforcing our program’s nomination for the award. The faculty were invited to a luncheon on November 12, 2016 to celebrate this achievement. (cont. pg. 2)

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Welcome Chi Sigma Alpha The Omega Chapter of Chi Sigma Alpha is very excited to start the new year. The mission of our chapter is to engage members from the Higher Education Counseling/ Student Affairs Master’s degree program in mentoring, networking, and service opportunities. Founded in June 2016, our chapter, with the leadership of President Alex Beebe, Vice President Justin Gambone, Program Coordinator Chloe Webb, and Treasurer/Secretary Caroline Bush, has planned various opportunities to be involved within the campus community. From supporting West Chester University’s Resource Pantry for the unaccompanied homeless youth and starting our first mentorship program, the Omega Chapter is gearing up to have a successful start! Our inaugural class will be inducted in just a few short weeks and we cannot wait to see what the year has in store for us! Below is a list of our Fall 2016 Student Inductees Alex Beebe Tom Pomenti Elizabeth Jung Michael Diaz Emma Israel Brittany Shaw

Caroline Bush Jahmai Fisher Chloe Webb Justin Saxman Ann Mitchell

Justin Gambone Courtney Wilson Helena DeBald Amber White Mary Clark

Aaron Gottlieb Lauren Naylor Natacha Reyes Wes Fieldcamp Jeanine Snow

Our Outstanding Counselor Education Program! When asked why she decided to nominate the program, Jen said this, I wanted to nominate our program for the 2016 Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award because of the faculty and staff’s amazing dedication to providing students with the highest quality education, contributing pertinent research to the counseling and related fields, and supporting students’ professional and personal growth. In addition to being wonderful professors who prepare students to be successful in the field, the faculty members are fantastic researchers who educate students and professionals alike. The Department also has the extraordinary ability to foster the growth of future counselors in an educational environment that is welcoming, encouraging, and extremely supportive. I am very proud to be a graduate of the Department of Counselor Education at West Chester University, and I am so excited that our program is receiving this Award – it is so very deserved! Congratulations to everyone in the Department!!

Congratulations again to the entire department!

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Higher Education and Student Affairs Attend Symposium On Friday, October 14, 2016, some of our Higher Education Counseling and Student Affairs students attended the Chestnut Hill Student Life Symposium. The keynote speaker was Anita Foeman, a faculty member at WCU. They had a great time and are pictured below.

Pictured in this photo (no specific order): Kim Taylor, CEE Advisory Board

Jahmai Fisher

Alex Beebe

Fran Boshell, M. Ed ‘13

Natacha Reyes

Kate Shellaway, Asst. Director of the

Amanda Machonis, M. Ed ‘16

Kelley Newman

Maegan Cruz

Helena DeBald

Sasha Aronzon

Sarah Tansits

Career Development Center

Justin Brown, Resident Director

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Collaborating Counselors

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The faculty have certainly been active in their scholarly activities. Dr. Parsons has teamed with a number of the faculty to co-author a variety of texts. He and Dr. Dickinson have a new Ethics book coming out later this semester and he and Dr. Owens are completing a text on crisis and trauma counseling due out in the fall. Dr. Parsons is completing a book on reflective practice with Dr. Neale-McFall due out in the fall and he is editing a series of self-help books for students transitioning to college. The latter project will see a number of our faculty creating books, including: Dr. Hodes, Dr. Dickinson, and Dr. McCoy.

Publications 

Dr. Hodes has written a chapter called “In My Skin” featured in Transformational Learning Experiences: A conversation with counselors about their personal and professional developmental journeys and published in October 2016.

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Dr. Hodes published an article on July 22, 2016 in Faculty Focus titled “Reading is Fundamental: An “Old School” Approach to Getting Students to Read.”

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Graduate Assistant Allison Register (School Counseling), Wes Garton (Higher Education, M.Ed ‘16), and Dr. Hodes published a piece in the August 2016 edition of the NARACES Summer Newsletter titled “ Transitioning Out of College: Exploring Strategies to Help Students Explore Their Post-Graduate Lives.”

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Dr. Alessandria co-authored an article titled “Italian American Ethnic Identity Persistence: A Qualitative Study” that was published in October 2016 in Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research.

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Graduate Assistant Kelsey Davis (School Counseling) and Dr. McCoy published an article in October 2016 titled “Strategies for Conflict Resolution Among Middle School Students” in the American Counseling Association’s Fall VISTAS Dr. Zhang edited the book titled Rentz’s Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education due for publication in 2017. In the book he and Dr. McCoy coauthored a chapter titled “Counseling Center” and Dr. Snyder and Dr. Zhang co-authored a chapter titled “Multicultural Affairs and Special Support Services.” 

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Presentations

Congratulations to all those the graduating!

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Dr. Owens presented at the Rocky Mountain Association for Counselor Education and Supervision on issues related to positive, solution-based approaches to teaching and supervising students who are working with trauma.

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Dr. Owens and Kaile Jones (School Counseling) will be presenting at the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association’s annual conference on issues related to school counselors supporting students who lack social supports.

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Jen Toby (School Counseling, M.Ed ‘16), Dr. Dickinson, and Graduate Assistant Molly Topp (School Counseling) will be presenting a poster titled “Thinking Outside the Box: Implications for School Counselors Working with Bullying Behavior in an Evolving World” at the Pennsylvania Counselors Association Annual Conference in November as well as “Bullying prevention: Preparing Counselors to Support School-Wide Success” at the annual Pennsylvania School Counselor Association Conference in December.

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Dr. Dickinson and Dylan Metz (School Counseling) will be presenting a poster titled “Professional School Counselors: Where are the Males?!” at the annual Pennsylvania Counselors Association in November.

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Dr. Neale-McFall, Dr. McCoy, and Dr. Snyder will be presenting “Using Technology to Train Site Supervisors in a Creative Format” at the Pennsylvania Counseling Association conference in November.

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Dr. Neale-McFall was one of 3 West Chester faculty who participated in a panel at West Chester’s Fall Research Day in November. The panel discussed why research participation is important while attending West Chester, how to find faculty mentors, how to find funding, and who can help students with these steps.

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Graduate Assistant Kelsey Davis (School Counseling) and Abby Heller (School Counseling) will be presenting a poster titled “Counselor Facilitated, Gender Role Sensitive, Peer Mediation Strategies for Conflict Resolution among Middle School Students” at the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association conference in December.

Special congratulations to  Dr. Neale-McFall and Dr. Owens for being recognized as awardees at the Spotlight On Research

Reception!  Dr. Bell for being awarded the Harmony Lodge No. 21 Community Service award for his dedicated service to youth in the West Chester Community and High School!

Don’t Forget!

Seal of Importance

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Thanksgiving Break begins Wednesday November 23rd and ends Friday November 25th

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Clearances have to be valid throughout the semester— don’t forget to renew them!

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The last day of class is Monday December 12th

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Finals begin Tuesday December 13th and end Friday December 16th

Apply for graduation the semester before you plan to graduate on MyWCU

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Chi Sigma Iota News The officers of the Delta Tau Kappa Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota would like to invite you to become an active member of our West Chester University chapter. CSI is an international honor society for counseling students. We strive to promote academic and professional success in all of our members. The officers and chairpersons of Chi Sigma Iota, Delta Tau Kappa Chapter have been working hard to prepare for an exciting 2016 - 2017 academic year. Requirements for membership include:  Students must have completed the equivalent of at least one semester of full-time graduate coursework (9 credits) in a counselor education degree program. Students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale To become a member : Visit www.csi-net.org for more information.  You can apply online with a credit card. You will then receive notification from Dr. Alessandria regarding approval of your application and be invited to pay the $10 local dues.  Local dues can be paid by writing a check to "SSI" and placing it in the metal box attached to the wall in the Faculty mailroom marked "Chi Sigma Iota". Annual National Dues are $50 and chapter dues are $10. **REMEMBER YOU MUST HAVE EARNED AT LEAST 9 CREDITS Before you can join CSI! If you have any further questions, please contact one of the officers. We look forward to having you join CSI! Sincerely, President: Deanna Filipkowski - [email protected] Treasurer: Tom Pomenti - [email protected] Secretary: Abby Heller – [email protected] Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kathryn “Tina” Alessandria - [email protected] Interested in attending CSI events? Here is a list of some of the upcoming activities

Food drive for the Chester County Food Bank: 11/1 – 11/21 taking place in the front of the suite – Contact Chrissy Rogowski for more info ([email protected]) Chester County 5K : 11/5 Contact Chrissy Rogowski for more info ([email protected]) Resume Workshop: 11/9 from 3 – 4 PM in GBC room 305 – Contact Dylan Metz for more info ([email protected]) Eventbrite Link: www.eventbrite.com/e/building-yourresume-tickets-28465817025 CSI Member Meeting: 11/17 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM in GBC room 306 Fall CSI Initiation: 12/1 from 3 – 5 PM in Sykes 252

Quick Announcements 

If you have any news or announcements that you would like to be featured in the next newsletter, please

e-mail GA Kelsey Davis at [email protected] 

Check your D2L daily for department announcements and updates.

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Summer 2017 Study Abroad Opportunity in Italy EDC 596: Workshop in International Higher Education We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to study abroad in Italy (Florence and Rome) this May. This course has been created in collaboration with the WCU Center for International Programs and will be taught by Dr. Kathryn Alessandria and Ms. Angela Howard, M.S. Senior Associate Director, Center for International Programs. Program Description

This two-week course is designed to provide opportunities for students to explore international higher education and enhance their multicultural competence through a week-long cultural immersion experience in Italy. The course will address practical issues related to recruitment and retention of international students in the United States and U.S. students studying abroad. The course will emphasize (a) the benefits of international education; (b) the importance of international education and how it relates to a global society; (c) facilitate understanding of diverse student populations studying in foreign education systems; and (d) the importance of pre-departure and reentry services for U.S. students studying abroad. Students will engage in (a) opportunities for self-exploration and comprehension of the impact of selfunderstanding on providing counseling and related educational services to the culturally diverse student; (b) the facilitation of students’ sensitivity to diverse circumstances and needs of diverse student populations; and (c) the development of basic skills and knowledge required to provide effective cross-cultural counseling and related educational services. This course is open to all Counselor Education students and may be used as an elective for students whose programs incorporate one. Scholarships are available! Program Dates: May 15 – 28, 2017 (This program does not conflict with any Summer 1 classes) Week 1: May 15-19 take place at WCU on campus Week 2: May 20-28 take place in Italy (Florence and Rome) highlights of the trip include visiting the Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery, Coliseum, and the Vatican Information sessions and further details will be forthcoming. Interested students should see Dr. Alessandria for details.

Accademia del Arte

Coliseum

Uffizi Art Gallery

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New to the Department! Triniti Anderson is the new Director of Field Education. She was born in Pennsylvania, but lived in Maine for many years. She received a Bachelor of Art in Psychology from Kent State University and holds a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Rosemont College. During her career she been a lead clinician in an intensive outpatient group therapy program working with adults with severe mental illness, and served as a Director of Undergraduate Training and Supervision at a local agency. In addition to her role at WCU, she owns and operates a solo practice in Exton, Pennsylvania where she sees teens and adults struggling with depression and anxiety. She and her husband have two children, a dog, a cat, fish and a turtle named Frankie. When Triniti isn’t busy with all of that, she enjoys painting, working on her book, and reading vampire romance novels. Dr. Koreem Bell is a school counselor at B. Reed Henderson High School in West Chester, In addition to his counseling position at Henderson, Dr. Bell works part-time for the Aversa Counseling Group of Chester County as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and is an adjunct professor for the West Chester University Counselor Education Program. Koreem is an active member of the Harrisburg Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and serves as the alumni advisor for the Shippensburg University chapter, Kappa Omega. Dr. Bell is also on the Advisory Board of Directors at the Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center in West Chester and is a member of and secretary for the Men’s Fellowship Committee at St. Paul’s Baptist Church.

Don’t forget to welcome them if you see them! DEPARTMENT

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