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Delta State’s 39th Annual F. E. Woodall Spring Conference for the Helping Professionals to return virtually Mar. 26

CLEVELAND, Miss.— Delta State University’s F.E. Woodall Spring Conference for the Helping Professionals is set return for its 39th year, virtually, on March 26.

Hosted by the Division of Counselor Education and Psychology, the annual conference serves both students and professionals by providing essential information, support and networking opportunities to counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other helping professionals in the region.

Registration for this year’s virtual event is open now at www.deltastate.edu/woodall. Up to seven continuing education units (CEs) are available to attendees.

Dean of DSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences Dr. Leslie Griffin said that while the format may be new, the conference’s high-quality experience remains.

“The Woodall Conference has historically been a highly attended conference with an outpouring of positive feedback from recipients as to its benefits to their respective careers,” said Griffin.  “In characteristic fashion, the CED faculty have stepped up to produce this conference in a quality and viable online format. On behalf of the College of Education and Human Sciences, I welcome this year’s prospective attendees!”

The conference began in 1981, under the direction of Dr. Fred E. Woodall, a former highly admired professor at Delta State. Since its inception, the conference has provided professionals in a variety of helping fields the opportunity to attend interesting and informative workshops at a nominal cost.

“We are delighted that the Woodall Conference will be held virtually at DSU this year as it provides such a wealth of knowledge and training to counselors and others in the helping professions,” said Dr. Merideth Van Namen, chair of DSU’s Division of Teacher, Leadership and Research.

“The Counselor Education faculty work diligently each year to ensure that the conference runs smoothly and efficiently for all attendees and presenters, and the same is true for this year’s virtual conference. Delta State is so very fortunate to have such a cohesive faculty and staff dedicated to helping others improve their practice and better our community,” she added.

Dr. Gerard Lawson

This year’s virtual event will be highlighted by a keynote address, entitled “The Counselor’s Journey of Wellness and Resilience,” by Dr. Gerard Lawson.

Lawson is a professor in the School of Education at Virginia Tech and was the 66th President of the American Counseling Association, serving from July 2017 to June 2018. He is also past-president of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and past-president of the Virginia Counselors Association.

Lawson earned his bachelor’s degree in human development from Virginia Tech, a master’s in counseling from Longwood College and a doctorate in counselor education from the College of William and Mary. He is a licensed professional counselor, a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, a national certified counselor and an approved clinical supervisor.

In addition to the keynote address, the conference will feature several breakout sessions, facilitated by industry leaders. A detailed agenda is available online at www.deltastate.edu/woodall.

“Given our challenges over the last year, we are delighted to come together this year for our Woodall Conference to offer much needed professional development, continuing education hours and fellowship,” said Dr. Cat Vincent, program coordinator and assistant professor of Counselor Education.

To register, for more information, visit. www.deltastate.edu.

For questions, please email cbrunetti@deltastate.edu.