Current Student Information

Professional Performance Criteria

The American Counseling Association code of ethics requires counselors and counselor trainees to maintain standards of professional competence and possess good moral character. Therefore, the Counseling Program requires these Professional Dispositions.

APA Guidelines

All students taking Counseling courses are expected to use APA style described in detail in the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association, (6th Ed., 2010) for all written work. Students are expected to purchase this book.

Attendance Policy

Two or more unexcused absences may result in no credit for the courses that are 3 credits or more. For 2 credit courses, one or more unexcused absences may result in no credit for the course. For 1 credit courses, no unexcused absences are permitted.

Readmission Policy

Admitted students who do not attend classes for two consecutive semesters (excluding the summer term) are automatically dropped from degree-seeking status. These students must apply for readmission to the program in order to return to degree-seeking status. To apply for readmission, students must:

Submit a statement describing (a) reasons for seeking readmission, and (b) current professional goals and activities.
Submit a minimum of three letters from professional references who can address your readmission to the Counseling program.
Submit a current transcript
Complete a Graduate Re-enrollment Form.
Observe the regular GSE admission deadlines.

Students requesting readmission may then be invited to an admission interview. Readmission is granted only upon Counseling full-time faculty's evaluation of the applicant's qualifications, interview, and past program participation.

Program and Multiple Faculty Recognitions

Two DVDs were produced by Alexander Street Press in 2012 on the C&D program’s unique training (Training Social Justice Counselors: Walking the Talk) and the C&D faculty’s innovative outreach program, Counselors Without Borders (Counselors Without Borders: Making Change for a Better World).
Drs. Rita Chi-Ying Chung and Fred Bemak were included as 2 of 5 people in the American Counseling Association Introductory Film, entitled Giving Back to the Community, for the American Counseling Association’s Annual Conference in 2011.
Chi Sigma Iota Outstanding Chapter Award for Exemplary Chapter Webpage, 2006

Dr. Fred Bemak

President-Elect, 2013-2014, American Counseling Association Counselors for Social Justice Division
Kitty Cole Human Rights Award, 2013, American Counseling Association National Award
Fulbright Senior Scholar, 2012, Department of Educational Sciences, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey
Professional Advancement, 2012, Association for Specialists in Group Work Award
Taiwanese Research Visiting Scholar, 2011, Awarded position to study school counseling in Taiwan through the Taiwan Ministry of Education
Gilbert and Kathleen Wrenn Award for a Humanitarian and Caring Person, 2011, American Counseling Association National Award
Courtland Lee Social Justice Award, 2011, Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
American Psychological Association Fellow, 2009
Association for Specialists in Group Work (A Division of the American Counseling Association) Fellow, 2006
O'Hana Award for Social Justice Work 2004, Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ), a Division of the American Counseling Association.
Fulbright Scholar, 1994-1995
Kellogg Foundation Fellowship in International Development and Leadership, 1988-1990

Dr. Rita Chi-Ying Chung

President of Counselors for Social Justice (Division of the American Counseling Association) 2015-2016
2015 American Counseling Association (ACA) Fellow.
2014 American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow, Division 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race).
2014 Social Psychology Network Action Teaching Award, Honorable Mention.
2013 American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow, Division 52 (International Psychology).
Commonwealth of Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award, 2013, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
Commendation Award for work on Human Rights and Social Justice, 2013, Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly
Gilbert and Kathleen Wrenn Award for a Humanitarian and Caring Person, 2013, American Counseling Association National Award
Kitty Cole Human Rights Award, 2012, American Counseling Association National Award
Professional Advancement Award, 2012, Association for Specialists in Group Work
Courtland Lee Social Justice Award, 2011, Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
Kitty Cole Human Rights Award, 2011, Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development
Invited to speak about Child Trafficking at United Nations, 2008, United Nations, New York
Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) Fellow 2008, ASGW a Division of the American Counseling Association
O'hana Honors Award for Social Justice Work 2004, Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ), a Division of the American Counseling Association.

Dr. Stephanie F. Dailey

Chair-elect & Trustee, American Counseling Association Foundation, 2017-2021
ACA Liaison, American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Partners, 2009-current
Chair, 2018-2019 Crisis, Disaster, & Trauma Counseling ACA Presidential Task Force
Chair, 2017-2018 Crisis Preparedness & Trauma Counseling ACA Presidential Task Force
Co-chair, 2016-2017 Increasing Diversity within ACA Leadership ACA Presidential Task Force
President, Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling, 2015-2016
President, Maryland Counseling Association, 2014-2015
Co-chair, ACA Ethics Committee, 2014-2016
ASERVIC Executive Board Member, 2011 – 2014
Commissioner, Arlington County Emergency Preparedness Advisory Commission, 2010-2013
2017 Excellence in Teaching Award (Argosy University)
2016 Maryland Counseling Association President’s Award for Advocacy & Equality

Dr. Rachael D. Goodman

Coordinator, Counselors Without Borders, 2013, outreach to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Editorial Board Member, 2011-2014, Journal of Mental Health Counseling (JMHC)
Pre-Conference Service Day Coordinator, 2013, Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ)
Emerging Leaders Fellow, 2010, Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES)
Outstanding Research Award, 2009, Chi Sigma Iota (CSI) International
Dr. Daya & Mrs. Usha K. Sandhu Multicultural Counseling/Diversity Student Research Award, 2009, Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)
President, Florida Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, 2009-2010

Dr. Shekila Melchior

Virginia Alliance for School Counseling President Elect, 2020 - 2021
Emerging Leader for the Association of Counselor Education & Supervision, 2017
Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Adolescent and Family Health, 2017 – 2019
Social Justice Work Group: ACES School Counselor Interest Network, 2018 - current
Counselors for Social Justice, Advocacy Committee Chair 2018 – 2019
ACA School Counseling Taskforce, 2017 – 2018
ACA Immigration Taskforce, 2017 – 2018
Graduate Student Commencement Speaker at Virginia Tech, 2017
Outstanding Doctoral Graduate Student – College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Virginia Tech, 2017
Edward Bouchet Honor Society, 2017
National Board of Certified Counselors Doctoral Minority Fellow, 2015

Dr. Sam Steen

Associate Editor, Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 2016-present
Professional Advancement Award, Association for Specialists in Group Work (A Division of the American Counseling Association), 2019
Counselors for Social Justice, Newsletter Co-Editor, 2019-present
Fellow, Association for Specialists in Group Work, 2018
Presidential Award, Association for Specialists in Group Work, 2011
Best Group Research Article of the Year, Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 2009
Holmes Scholar, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 2003-2007

Tori Stone, PhD, LPC

Chairperson of the Northern Virginia School Counseling Leadership Team
Virginia School Counselor Association Board of Directors 2018-2019
Human Rights and Social Justice Committee Member, Virginia School Counselor Association 2010 – 2013.
Above and Beyond Award, Prince William County, VA, Student Services, 2012.
Coordinator, American School Counselor Association Recognized ASCA Model School Counseling Program (Re-RAMP) application, Bull Run Middle School, Prince William County, VA., 2011.
Coordinator, American School Counselor Association Recognized ASCA Model School Counseling Program (RAMP) application, Bull Run Middle School, Prince William County, VA., 2008.
Middle School Vice President, Virginia School Counselor Association, 2006 – 2007
Secretary, Virginia School Counselor Association, 2004 – 2005
Middle School Counselor of the Year, Virginia School Counselor Association, 2002.

Dr. Regine M. Talleyrand

Editorial Board Member, 2012-present, Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology

Counseling Student Recognition:

The Counseling faculty are proud to announce that Mirella Saldaña has been selected as Virginia School Counselor Association’s (VSCA) Graduate Student of Year!

Mirella demonstrates excellence in scholarship as well as a commitment to our program mission of social justice, advocacy, multiculturalism, and leadership. She works as a program coordinator in the Early Identification program, helping first generation college students to find academic success at Mason. Mirella is a passionate advocate for recent immigrant students and volunteers her time working with the Mason DREAMers program to promote a more inclusive educational climate for undocumented students. She also has facilitated focus groups with undocumented students in Fairfax County in an effort to identify their mental health needs. Mirella will be honored at the upcoming VSCA conference October 11-13 in Hampton, Virginia. Please join us in wishing her congratulations!