The Indiana School Counselor Association (ISCA) has honored Purdue University Calumet Clinical Associate Professor of School Counseling and Development Bonnie Colon and graduate student Johanna Hess.
Colon, of North Judson, accepted the Exemplary Counselor Educator Award, while Hess, a Lowell resident, received the Womack Scholarship Award at the recent ISCA conference.
A Purdue Calumet faculty member since 2008, Colon is a licensed school counselor in Indiana and Illinois. She served for 15 years as a practicing school counselor before coming to Purdue Calumet. In her current position she teaches and prepares students for careers as school counselors.
Through its awards, ISCA seeks to honor professionals who devote their career to serving as advocates for Indiana students.
“This is the highest honor and award for counselor educators in the state of Indiana,” Purdue Calumet Counseling and Development Program Chair/Associate Professor of Education Lisa Hollingsworth said. “Through the years, Bonnie Colon has not only strengthened the counseling program at Purdue University Calumet and the school counseling field at the state level, but she has had a profound impact on our students both personally and professionally.”
As a graduate student in Purdue Calumet’s College of Education, Hess is preparing to become a school counselor who helps students achieve academically, navigate through the college search process and gain personal success.
Also at the ISCA conference, Hess and graduate student peers Amber Sokol of Crown Point and Heidi Hammond Schellinger of Lowell made a professional presentation on Female Relational Aggression.
Purdue Calumet’s College of Education offers graduate degrees in School Counseling, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Human Services. Certification courses in Addictions and Expressive Arts also are taught. The Addictions certification courses lead to licensure as an addictions counselor.