Building Bridges, Energizing Counselors

When Jean Peterson (MA ’91/PhD ’95) took over seven years ago as coordinator of Purdue University’s School Counseling Program, it needed a boost.

“The program seemed anemic and unconnected,” Peterson said. “It was a situation of unintentional neglect.”

Peterson, an associate professor, inherited a program of some 10 students that lacked both campus and community connections, as well as visibility within the profession. Through Peterson’s advocacy, the program now enrolls 20 highly qualified students and enjoys an improved reputation.

“Bridges fall into disrepair without attention. I stepped back and began to repair them,” Peterson said. “My immediate concern was the difficulty of placing interns without program credibility and comfortable school connections.”

Peterson started by re-establishing Indiana Counseling Association activity in the region. She built connections with colleagues at other Indiana universities and brought in speakers from local schools. She created a program newsletter, a professional advisory board, and organized networking meetings for area school counselors. She wrote grant proposals with local school administrators and successfully nominated deserving area school counselors, school counseling students, and distinguished Purdue alumni for awards.

In addition to all of her bridge-building efforts, Peterson created Purdue University’s only graduate-level study abroad program. The program, now in its third year, sends faculty and graduate students to a Dutch university to learn how that university prepares school counselors. Dutch faculty and students also visit Purdue.

George Hynd, dean of Purdue’s College of Education, said he’s been impressed with Peterson’s “infectious” enthusiasm and ability to accomplish so many feats.

“Through her vision and enthusiasm, Jean has excited our students and faculty,” Hynd said. “She is truly one of the college’s best, most positive, and most energized faculty members.”

Peterson’s efforts have garnered her several awards: The Purdue University College of Education’s Outstanding Service Award in 2000 and 2005, a teaching award and a research award in 2003.

Peterson, who began her career with 24 years as a classroom and gifted-education teacher, also has published two books on talking with teens and has done extensive research on working with gifted children. She earned the National Association for Gifted Children’s Early Scholar Award in 2005.

Peterson credits Director Nicholas Colangelo and Associate Director Susan Assouline of the UI’s Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development with encouraging her to pursue her Ph.D.
Colangelo considers Peterson one of Iowa’s most successful Counselor Education graduates.

“Jean’s work to rebuild Purdue’s School Counseling Program exemplifies the qualities I most admire,” Colangelo said. “Jean has a ‘can do’ attitude and is also a great team player, and I think one reason she is so successful is that she is able to mobilize others to work toward common goals.”

Peterson said her work at Purdue has been gratifying and energizing.

“The program is active, stimulating, unique, and moving forward,” Peterson said.

–by Heather Spangler