Winston-Salem State University News October8, 2014 Rehabilitation Counseling Program Awarded More than $2 Million in Grants The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has received two grants totaling more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Education. The grants from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services are to address the shortage in professionals in rehabilitation, as well as the specific shortage of rehabilitation counselors providing services for the deaf or hard of hearing. The university received a grant of $1.25 million to enhance its online master's level rehabilitation counseling training program. The program is designed to provide students with the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to assist individuals with disabilities to attain their employment goals and will be directed particularly to those in unserved and underserved rural areas. The WSSU rehabilitation counseling faculty will conduct focused marketing strategies to recruit highly capable prospective students to meet the needs of the N. C. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. "This grant will make a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities and also provide the state and federal systems of vocational rehabilitation with an additional core of well-trained employees," said Dr. Brenda Y. Cartwright, professor of rehabilitation counseling and principal investigator for the grant. "The grant also means that current students in the program will be able to continue their course of study while maintaining their jobs and family responsibilities," said Dr. Robin E. Dock, associate professor and co-principal investigator. "Because the program is online, other adult learners from across the state, region and the nation may continue their education and give back to their communities." A grant of slightly more than $1 million over five years will enhance the online master's degree program with an emphasis on training rehabilitation counselors to assist individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing attain their employment goals. As with the grant to increase the overall number of rehabilitation counselors, WSSU will conduct a focused effort to recruit students to meet the needs of state and related agencies that provide services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. "There is a significant personnel shortage in this specialty area of rehabilitation throughout the country. This grant will provide trained professionals to help the diverse population of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and also support our students financially," said Dock, who is principal investigator of the grant. "We are excited that the master's program in rehabilitation counseling at WSSU can continue to be a leading force in providing highly capable counselors to meet the needs of the clients they will be serving," said Dr. Yolanda Edwards, chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling and coordinator of the master's program. "The online MSRC program is extremely important to our students and increasing the number of master's level counselors certainly will have a positive impact on the entire rehabilitation field." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2014meeting-form.html for the October 26-28, 2014 HBCU Library Alliance 6th Membership Meeting in Atlanta GA!