CLEVELAND, Miss. — Kendall Kern, a student in Delta State University’s Counselor Education program has been awarded a National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation Scholarship. The foundation awards scholarships and fellowships to graduate students pursuing careers as professional counselors who are affiliated with underrepresented and underserved populations and commit to serving them after graduation.
Kern said that she was forwarded an email from a classmate with details about the program, and she applied. She said, “I had the support from my professors, who wrote my recommendation letters, as well as my classmates, who read my application and gave me feedback.”
Award amounts for NBCC scholarships range from $10,000 to $20,000, and all awardees receive a sustainability package that includes access to mentors, trainings, and professional resources. More than 90 master’s- and doctoral-level fellowships are available.
Kern said, “The NBCC Minority Fellowship gave me the funds to pay for my tuition, which has helped me focus on my studies. I have been able to spend my time working on my research around adventure-based counseling and self-concept, which is contributing to the literature on this topic. The program has given me trainings in areas around minoritized populations, which has helped me be a stronger, multicultural-focused counselor. I have been able to apply the knowledge I have gained into working with my clients at my internship. Additionally, this program has helped me grow in my identity as a rural, queer counselor.”
To learn more about counselor education, email Dr. Mary Bess Pannel, program coordinator at mpannel@deltastate.edu for more information and the application process. Interested students can also explore scholarship opportunities on the NBCC website at https://nbccf.org/programs/scholarships?_zs=uM4UJ1&_zl=Dq2X6.
