Student Awards
The Department of Counselor Education is pleased to announce it is now accepting nominations for Student Awards. Students graduating from any of the M.A. programs in May, 2023 are eligible for these Awards. Any person who is a fully matriculated counseling student, a counseling full-time or adjunct faculty member, or a field supervisor for the practicum/internship courses may make a nomination. Self-nominations are acceptable and encouraged. Students may be nominated for more than one Award. Click directly on the Student Awards below for descriptions and nomination forms for each of the Student Awards.
Please electronically submit the completed nomination form and all supporting materials to the nominee’s COUN 700-01 CANVAS page by 5PM Monday, March 20, 2023. If you are making a nomination for a student please forward all materials to the nominee so that the nominee can submit the material to the COUN 700-01 page by the deadline. Nominees should electronically submit the Award application and any supporting documents to the COUN 700-01 Assignment tab. Please direct questions to Ms. Lisa Spencer, Program Assistant, Department of Counselor Education: spencer6@tcnj.edu.
The 2023_Erika Pluta Diamond Award honors a graduating counselor education student who has demonstrated leadership in the classroom and has expressed an interest and dedication to helping women. This award was created in memory of the late Erika Pluta Diamond, a former TCNJ counseling student who was an avid advocate for oppressed women.
The 2023_Douglas Burroughs Professional Commitment Award honors a graduating counselor education student who has demonstrated outstanding service to the community or exhibited courage and perseverance in pursuit of graduate studies. This award was created in memory of the late Douglas Burroughs, a former TCNJ counseling student and campus leader who overcame numerous hardships during his long quest to complete his graduate degree in counseling.
The 2023_Social Justice and Advocacy Award recognizes a graduating counselor education student who has demonstrated a serious commitment to social justice and equity through the development and/or implementation of a service, program or social policy that meets the needs of, and has had a major impact upon, the health and well being of a culturally diverse group.
The 2023_Student Scholar Award honors a graduating counselor education student who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and scholarship in counseling.
The 2023_Outstanding Counseling Student of the Year Award is intended to honor a graduating counselor education student who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and counseling skills. Evidence of outstanding counseling skills may be indicated through a variety of means including: making significant and/or creative contributions as an intern which have documented impacts on clients and/or the site; performing at an independent level significantly beyond what is expected of an intern which results in major impacts at the site; creating and implementing new programs at the site with documented outstanding results; or responding to difficult, complex and challenging client situations with exemplary counseling expertise and leading to major client transformation.