Orientation to Professional Counseling

Sylvia C. Nassar, PhD, is currently a professor and doctoral program coordinator of counselor education at North Carolina State University. She earned her doctorate in counseling and counselor education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1994 and her master's degree in guidance and counseling in 1984. She has served in a variety of clinical mental health, school, and college settings over the past 30 years, and her initiatives have included promoting the professionalism of counseling and counselor education. Her scholarship spans multicultural, gender, and career development issues, with a special focus on Arab American acculturation and ethnic identity development. She has published nearly 90 books, refereed articles, and other instructional materials and delivered more than 100 conference presentations. Dr. Nassar recently served on the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development's Multicultural Counseling Competencies Revision Committee and on the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs 2016 Standards Revision Committee. She has served as board member for the Census Information Center Advisory Board to the Arab American Institute, the National Board for Certified Counselors, and the North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She is past associate editor for multicultural issues for the Journal of Counseling & Development, for which she currently serves as senior associate editor. Her recent National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration-funded projects have examined career stereotyping and evaluated curriculum tools. Dr. Nassar's undergirding areas of scholarship and consulting include acculturation, advocacy, career development and underrepresentation issues, program evaluation, clinical supervision, and internationalization. She has provided training and consultation on such issues to international colleagues at institutional and governmental levels in Canada, Finland, Germany, Lebanon, Mexico, and Qatar. She received the Extended Research Award from the American Counseling Association in 2013 and the Distinguished Service Award from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision in 2016. She was named the Michael G. Morris Endowed Chair in Eastern Michigan University's College of Education for 2014-2015 and Research Triangle Institute International University Scholar for 2016-2017. Spencer G. Niles, PhD, serves as dean of and professor in the School of Education at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Previously he served as Distinguished Professor and department head for the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education at The Pennsylvania State University and professor and assistant dean in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. Dr. Niles is the recipient of the National Career Development Association's (NCDA) Eminent Career Award; an NCDA Fellow; a Fellow of the American Counseling Association (ACA); a recipient of ACA's Thomas J. Sweeney Award for Visionary Leadership and Advocacy, President's Award, David K. Brooks, Jr., Distinguished Mentor Award, and Extended Research Award; and a recipient of the University of British Columbia Noted Scholar Award. He has served as president of NCDA (2003-2004), president-elect of NCDA (2017-2018), and president of Chi Sigma Iota (2016-2017); is a board member of the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy; was a two-term editor of The Career Development Quarterly and the Journal of Counseling & Development; and currently serves on numerous journal editorial boards. He has authored or coauthored approximately 130 publications and delivered more than 150 presentations on career development theory and practice.

Dr. Niles is an honorary member of the Japanese Career Development Association, an honorary member of the Italian Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, and a lifetime honorary member of the Ohio Career Development Association. He has conducted career counseling training in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. His current research addresses creating and sustaining hope in career and life planning among marginalized populations.