As we have entered a new year and semester, I can feel only optimism about our trajectory for success
and growth. We have continued to forge forward on our vision of quality graduate counseling education
and being “…a leader in empowering and developing strong mental health professionals…” with a strong
Adlerian foundation. We have had a successful visit with our accreditors for Art Therapy (ACATE) and
await their final report, and our CACREP accreditation visit is set for April 27th for the Counseling
Program. Our Student Development Hub with the Adlerian Students in Action is a center for ideas,
engagement, and action. There have been times that we have been limited by the pandemic but have
grown through Adlerian courage, as we have continued to go from strength to strength; our graduates
continue to be successful entering their field, our students are being requested by internship sites and
agencies, and our faculty continue to be leaders across the country in the counseling profession. I am so
proud of our school and the quality path we are on.
Over the last few months, we have finished our strength-based strategic planning process with a focus
on operational sustainability and quality graduate education. We have identified the following strategic
priorities:
• Increase student recruitment and diversity of the student body
o Task force members include Admissions, Faculty, Director of Financial Aid, and Director of
Alumni Relations.
o Provide inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility scholarships.
o Continue to invest in marketing through our partners at SPARK LLC.
o Teach out programs that do not fit within our mission or do not attract sufficient interest to
run a quality program.
• Secure programmatic accreditation
o Task force to include departmental faculty. Time frame: in process.
• Increase tuition-independent funding through fundraising/development
o Hire a Director of Development or service to work with our Board of directors and alumni.
o Leadership Team to develop interview and evaluation process. Time frame: in process.
o Community Partnerships and Alliances; (Community services and AGS clinic) create strong
community partnership in the delivery of mental health and leadership services. Mid-range
goal: 2-5 years.
We have not and will not be daunted by the current pandemic conditions. We have been successful in
our educational delivery and will continue to require vaccines and masks for in person classes, along
with maximization of our online educational delivery systems, to continue to provide quality counseling
graduate education. We will continue to monitor the science to make our decisions. In response to our
journeys, it is important that we stay committed and connected to our communities; we are stronger
together.