Lilly Endowment Inc. grant to boost IU Southeast School Counseling program and improve outcomes for K-12 students

12th October 2017

NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The Indiana University Foundation has received a $200,000 implementation grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. on behalf of Indiana University Southeast.

The grant will allow IU Southeast to enhance its School Counseling program, provide services to area schools and facilitate school-community partnerships, all with a larger goal of improving academic, college, career and social and emotional outcomes for K-12 students in southern Indiana.

The grant is part of the Endowment’s Comprehensive Counseling Initiative, a 5-year initiative designed to increase the number of K-12 students in Indiana who are emotionally healthy; realize academic success; graduate from high school; obtain valuable postsecondary credentials, certifications and degrees; and are prepared to compete and prosper in a global society.

“We could not be more excited or more grateful for this opportunity,” said project director Mary Bradley, associate professor of education and coordinator of the IU Southeast School Counseling program. “The needs of area students are great. This grant will allow us to not only strengthen our own counselor preparation program, but also engage schools and the community in meeting student and workforce needs. Through this grant, we expect new partnerships and systems to emerge that will provide much-needed support to area counselors, students, schools and parents.”

The grant will fund school counseling curriculum revisions to reflect current best practices in college and career readiness. Among other skills, students will learn to design, implement and evaluate a comprehensive, progressive college and career readiness program in their schools that will address student and parent needs from the elementary level to senior year.

The grant will also fund professional development for area school counselors and administrators, paid and enhanced internships for IU Southeast graduate students in area schools, college-career readiness events for parents and students, and work with business, nonprofit and community stakeholders to address school counseling and college and career readiness needs at local and regional levels.

Following an initial planning grant, the funded implementation project was developed in dialogue with school districts and school counselors from Clark and Floyd Counties.  Clarksville Community Schools, New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated Schools, West Clark Community Schools and Jeffersonville High School contributed to the final grant proposal and will serve as partners on the project, assisting with implementation and evaluation.

IU Southeast also convened a listening session with area business and workforce development leaders to gain input on the project, discuss student and workforce needs and explore future collaboration to support area counseling programs.

“The Comprehensive Counseling Initiative holds tremendous promise for improving student outcomes in southern Indiana and enhancing the civic and economic well-being of our region and our state,” said IU Southeast Chancellor Ray Wallace. “We are delighted to be a part of it and eager to engage area business, workforce development and nonprofit communities to help our schools address critical needs.”

The IU Southeast Master of Science in Education with a major in school counseling is a comprehensive, 45-credit-hour program. Candidates complete a minimum of 375 hours of clinical practice in local schools, working closely with licensed school counselors, administrators, teachers, staff and parents to provide individual and group counseling, family services, support for English Language Learners and college and career exploration services. Approved by the Indiana State Department of Education, the IU Southeast Counseling program meets the professional requirements of the Council for the Accreditation of Education Programs (CAEP), and each course aligns with the Indiana Content Standards for School Counselors.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family – J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli – through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

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