Professor's scholarship encourages students to consider counseling careers

Shonda McLaughlin

Emporia State University Assistant Professor Shonda McLaughlin knows first-hand what a difference a vocational rehabilitation counselor can make in a student's life.

As a child, McLaughlin was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

“The vocational rehabilitation counselor was the only person interested in helping me go to college,” McLaughlin said. Impressed and inspired by the impact her counselor had on her life, McLaughlin found her career path.

Today, McLaughlin encourages college students to pursue careers in rehabilitation counseling. As a faculty member at ESU, she is in a unique position to motivate, inspire and teach the next generation of rehabilitation professionals. Earlier this year, she took her commitment a step further by establishing the McLaughlin Rehabilitation Counseling Scholarship.

“There is low representation of ethnic minorities in this field,” McLaughlin said. “I established this scholarship as a way to give back and encourage underrepresented minorities to pursue this rewarding field.”

For McLaughlin, who will soon embark on her second academic year at ESU's Teachers College, this scholarship is just the beginning. She ultimately hopes to establish another fund that will offset the expense of attending professional conferences.

“Rehabilitation counselors do so much more than sit behind a desk,” McLaughlin said. “After what the vocational rehabilitation counselor has done for me, I'm happy to be able to give back to my students.”

Last Updated July 2, 2007