A Letter From Our President
Shannon Nix
Greetings GCCA Members! As President, I want to welcome you to the organization and fill you in on some of the perks of joining GCCA. GCCA is an organization with a long history of promoting the unique (and often demanding) field of college counseling. College counselors wear a variety of ‘hats’ and so often face difficult and challenging situations that mental health providers in other fields don’t, which is why I am tremendously grateful for the support and camaraderie afforded to me as a member of GCCA, as well as the expertise of its many members (I think most of us can say “thank goodness for the listserv!”).
GCCA not only provides supportive and networking opportunities, it also offers college counselors all over the state of Georgia representation through the Regional Representatives (look here to find yours: http://www.gacollegecounseling.org/council-members) and chances to earn continuing education units at day-long workshops conducted all over the state throughout the year, not to mention at the annual GCCA Conference, held in St. Simons Island, Georgia, the end of every January. Our President-Elect, Ruth Hagemann, has already begun planning for next year’s conference, scheduled for January 23rd – 25th at the King and Prince Resort. Attending the conference is an excellent way to confer with colleagues, make new connections (and friends), and add to your knowledge base; some of the program topics presented at this year’s conference included ethical dilemmas in making referrals, the use of animal-assisted therapy, case management on a college campus, creating an inclusive experience for LGBTQ students, and working with students with severe and persistent mental illness. GCCA also continued its tradition of awarding the President’s Grant to three deserving graduate students, one of whom has now joined the Council as our Student Representative (welcome, Leslie Stewart!). In addition, three other graduate students qualified for conference scholarships. It is important to point out that the grant winners presented at the conference, as well as two of the scholarship winners, and all of the students were a tremendous help to the Council throughout the conference. Keep in mind that GCCA student membership is free, so please encourage the students in graduate counseling, psychology, social work, or other mental health-related programs at your campus to join!
One last item I want to point out—don’t forget that GCCA is now on Facebook and LinkedIn. I encourage you to join GCCA online, as we announce workshops and conference information through both sites, as well as on the listserv. I am excited to watch GCCA’s membership grow and to see all of the support offered to members, by members, in what many of us consider difficult and changing times in college counseling.
Feel free to contact me or any of the Council members if you have any questions or concerns, or if you want to become more involved in GCCA. We are a cohesive, welcoming group and are glad to have you!
Best,
Shannon Nix, M.S., LPC, NCC
GCCA President
