Student Organizations
Students in the Department of Counseling and Special Education are eligible to join a number of student organizations, which can provide invaluable networking and professional development opportunities.
Student organizations available for membership include:
Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), the international honor society for counseling students, professional counselors and counselor educators, is one of the largest counseling organizations in the world. An academic honorary society specifically for counselor education graduate programs, its mission is to recognize and promote excellence in the profession of counseling.
Chi Sigma Iota offers workshops and professional development activities for the counseling community, undertakes philanthropic projects and offers opportunities to serve the Richmond community.
To be eligible for membership in CSI, students must hold 3.5 GPA or better, have completed at least nine graduate credit hours in their counseling program, be in good standing with the Counselor Education department, and be working towards a master’s degree or doctorate in counseling. Dr. Naomi Wheeler serves as the faculty adviser and Dr. Donna Gibson as co-adviser for CSI.
The Counselor Education Student Networking Association, or CESNA, is the counseling program’s student organization. We believe the relationships students develop in graduate school provide a network of colleagues with whom they may share ideas and resources with throughout their counseling careers. Therefore, the goal of this organization is to develop collegiality and a spirit of professionalism among counselor education students.
CESNA is led by a small group of students under the supervision of a faculty adviser. The officers and adviser plan activities for the students in the program to attend, such as fall/spring social events, the annual alumni dinner, graduation celebrations and guest presentations. These opportunities provide students with additional knowledge about specific areas in the counseling field, as well as the opportunity to network with other students and respected guests.
Students are automatically become members of CESNA when they enter the counselor education program and no membership fees are required.
Dr. Donna Dockery serves as the faculty adviser for CESNA.
Student Affairs Networking Association (SANA) is the department’s student organization that focuses on issues relevant to those interested in student affairs and higher education. Regular meetings are held throughout the academic year.
Dr. Donna Dockery serves as the faculty adviser for SANA.
Professional Organizations
Active participation in professional associations is vital to professional success — they help graduates stay current in the field and keep abreast of new trends and issues throughout their careers. We recommend that each of our graduate students join, at a minimum, one appropriate association. Membership dues are usually less for students and members receive professional newsletters, journals and announcements of professional activities.
All students are urged to join the American Counseling Association (ACA) in order to be bound by the association’s ethical standards and to obtain group malpractice insurance. Membership applications are available on the ACA website.
Doctoral students are also asked to join the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision and the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.
Professional organization websites
- American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
- American Counseling Association
- Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
- American School Counselor Association
- Association for Specialists in Group Work
- National Career Development Association
- American College Personnel Association
- American College Counseling Association
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
- American Association of Student Personnel Administrators
- American College Student Educators International
- Southern Association for College Student Affairs
- Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
- Virginia Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
- Virginia Counselors Association
- Virginia School Counselor Association
- Virginia Association for Specialists in Group Work
- Virginia Career Development Association