Why Did You Choose UL Lafayette?
Meet Hannah Grant, who graduated with her counselor education master’s degree from UL Lafayette in August 2016.
Why did you choose to pursue a counselor master’s degree?
I chose to get my counselor education master’s degree after going back and forth between social work and counseling. After volunteering at the Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center for a few months, I was eventually hired and worked there for about two years. I specifically helped with crisis counseling over the phone and through crisis chat. I also served as a counselor consultant and helped to train new volunteers for both programs. Doing this kind of work really got me interested in doing counseling as a career and I discovered that it was the perfect fit for me.
What was your undergraduate degree in?
I moved from Lafayette to Baton Rouge in 2007 to pursue my undergraduate degree at LSU and I graduated in Elementary Education, with a minor in Psychology. Getting into the program here brought me back to Lafayette, where I found so much enjoyment and to be such a wonderful experience. I’m truly glad that it worked out the way that it did. I honestly don’t think I would have gotten as much enjoyment or as much of an experience had I attended a counselor education master’s degree program elsewhere. It was truly meant to be.
What did you like best about earning your counselor master’s degree from UL Lafayette?
I really like having the close relationships that I have had with faculty throughout my program. They are so much more to me than professors; they are my mentors, my colleagues, my everything. It was strange at first finding that they genuinely wanted to build a close relationship with me (just wasn’t something that I expected or had experienced before), but it developed into a really interesting dynamic and they have been amazing mentors for me.
What new opportunities have you had as part of the counselor education master’s degree program?
Getting the opportunity to present at conferences, such as the Louisiana Counseling Association, has been great exposure. This experience has enabled me to network with professionals and to share my own experience and knowledge on topics that I’m interested in and have researched.
Interning at different agencies has given me a lot of insight into how different mental health and community agencies provide services as well. I enjoyed being able to use what I learned in the program to improve the services that we provided, in addition to contributing to the mission of the agencies. As part of my program, I interned at Healing House, the Counseling Center for Personal Development at the Picard Center (our program-run clinic), and also at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s office through Juvenile Services.
Another thing I discovered while in grad school is that it is really important to take on leadership roles. For example, I was able to be our first Graduate Student Organization (GSO) representative for our department because no one had previously taken the initiative and it was something I was really interested in. I highly encourage taking the chance to step up and be a leader in order to make something better.
What do you plan to do with your degree?
Right now, I plan to stay in the area and I am keeping my options open job wise. I am open to almost anywhere that I feel like I could connect and benefit others the most. I have learned to “never say never” during my time in the program, as I have taken risks and found enjoyment working with particular populations or issues that I never thought I would. Eventually, I would like to move out of state to pursue my doctorate in counselor education, but I am not sure exactly when I will do that.
What would you recommend to undergraduate students who are interested in applying?
Specifically for our program, it is beneficial to have experience working in a mental health agency or some kind of community organization that serves various populations; this in addition to participating in some kind of volunteer work is something I always encourage people to do.
How are you able to fund your graduate studies?
In addition to my graduate assistantship, I did take out a student loan, and this past year, I was also awarded a scholarship available to graduate students pursuing a degree in the college of education. While graduate assistantships and scholarships are both very competitive, I highly encourage anyone to apply.
Learn more about UL Lafayette’s Counselor Education master's program >>