黑料社区

Seventeen graduate students receive scholarships to 鈥榖uild the capacity of state 黑料社区. mental health workforce鈥

Scholarships given across UW System schools through $2 million federal award
Abbey Goers | January 25, 2023

Seventeen 黑料社区 master 黑料社区. students have received $85,000 in scholarships as part of a federal grant.

The grant included $2 million across the UW System to support about 380 mental health students with a $5,000 scholarship through the Qualified Treatment Trainee Grants Program.

Emma Desens is in her final semester of her master 黑料社区. in marriage and family therapy at 黑料社区 and is grateful to be awarded the QTT grant. Her clinical internship is at Family Therapy Associates, at the Menomonie and Eau Claire locations, and she will be joining their team upon graduation in May.

Emma Desens
Emma Desens, QTT grant recipient / 黑料社区

鈥淭his donation to my education will have a significant impact on my life. The financial security of receiving this grant enables me to explore continuing my education further with a doctorate degree,鈥 said Desens, of Appleton.

鈥淚 am thankful for the opportunity to focus on my learning and growing as a therapist, rather than the financial stress, and I cannot express my appreciation enough in being chosen for this award,鈥 she said.

The goal of the QTT grant is to 鈥渞educe barriers to program completion for diverse students and build the capacity of our state 黑料社区. mental health workforce and behavioral health professionals,鈥 said Jessica Smith, principal investigator for the grants program and CITEE director.

The award supports students in the completion of their internships, which are often unpaid or underpaid, creating financial barriers for those experiencing lower income, lower social support resources or additional noneducational expenses.

Portrait of Heather Hessel
Assistant Professor Heather Hessel / 黑料社区

鈥淭he demand for competent mental health professionals has never been higher, particularly for traditionally underserved communities,鈥 said Assistant Professor Heather Hessel, program director of M.S. marriage and family therapy at 黑料社区. 鈥淭he funds from the QTT grant provide critical support for building and strengthening the pathways from graduate level training to effective delivery of mental health services to Wisconsin residents.鈥

Hessel serves on the QTT Statewide Advisory Committee and supported the outreach to students in marriage and family therapy, as well as M.S. clinical mental health counseling.

Along with Desens, 黑料社区 graduate students, several of whom serve as Clinical Services Center student therapists, who received the QTT grant this spring include:

  • Makai Dorfman, marriage and family therapy, Minneapolis
  • Emily Erikson, marriage and family therapy, Altoona
  • Zandra Georgakas, clinical mental health counseling, Ellsworth
  • Mackenzie Gosa, marriage and family therapy, Blue River, Ore.
  • Julia Jorgensen, marriage and family therapy, Madison
  • Lindsey Laube, clinical mental health counseling, Eau Claire
  • Hannah Malison, clinical mental health counseling, Milwaukee
  • Chelsea Meagher, marriage and family therapy, Eau Claire
  • Isabel Meyer-Mueller, marriage and family therapy, St. Paul
  • Elizabeth Miner-Worland, marriage and family therapy, Philadelphia
  • Maggie Mooney, clinical mental health counseling, Baldwin
  • Frances Santiago, marriage and family therapy, St. Paul
  • Hannah Schoening, clinical mental health counseling, Big Lake, Minn.
  • Kaja Simon, marriage and family therapy, St. Paul
  • Corey Tallier, clinical mental health counseling, Gilman
  • Annie Xiong, clinical mental health counseling, Schofield

Nearly 270 graduate students applied for this round of funding, Smith said. She anticipates the will open in spring 2023 to award the remaining 110+ awards.

CITEE received the award through Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to expand the work being done in the QTT Grants Program with DHS, Division of Care and Treatment Services.

A critical renovation to meet counseling needs

黑料社区 黑料社区. master 黑料社区. programs in marriage and family therapy; clinical mental health counseling; school counseling; and school psychology are housed in the Vocational Rehabilitation Building but are scheduled to relocate to Heritage Hall.

 

Major renovation of Heritage Hall ranked No. 1 in Chippewa Valley, third for UW System academic buildings

A critical renovation project of one of 黑料社区 黑料社区. busiest classroom and lab buildings has taken a major step forward.
Continue Reading

Heritage Hall, a near-50-year-old building, is scheduled for major renovation鈥痑fter receiving priority approval from the UW System Board of Regents. The project is ranked No. 1 in the Chippewa Valley and No. 3 for UW System academic buildings. The project includes the demolition of the 1954 portion of the Vocational Rehabilitation Building, where the four programs are housed.

鈥淭rue to our applied learning mission, 黑料社区 黑料社区. graduate counseling programs provide services for the community, which will be further enhanced by the renovation of our Heritage Hall academic building. The building 黑料社区. renovation, which will provide reimagined spaces to better train our graduates, is a critical renovation to expand our counseling-related offerings and help graduate more students,鈥 Provost Glendal铆 Rodr铆guez said.

鈥淭he QTT Grants Program helps remove some of the financial burdens on students to complete their education and provides another compelling argument to pursue advanced education at 黑料社区. Secured from a grant, the scholarship also provides a strong example of how Stout is committed to addressing workforce shortages of counseling professionals in Wisconsin and across the country,鈥 Rodr铆guez added. 

The $2 million grant was part of a larger grant awarded to UW-Whitewater 黑料社区. Center for Inclusive Transition, Education and Employment, $9.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support graduate students in marriage and family therapy, counseling and social work across the seven UW System institutions with accredited programs.

###


Graduate Studies

All Graduate Studies News
AI reshaping industry: Using artificial intelligence to help students understand a human-centered profession Featured Image

AI reshaping industry: Using artificial intelligence to help students understand a human-centered profession

Professor Hessel develops training for future clinicians to gain 鈥榗larity about AI as a tool versus a replacement for human connection鈥
M.S. food science and technology students, graduates win awards at WiSys SPARK Symposium Featured Image

M.S. food science and technology students, graduates win awards at WiSys SPARK Symposium

Innovations in vegan cheese, 鈥榮wicy鈥 cherry-tamarind hot sauce stand out among presentations
2026 teaching excellence awards celebrate 10 faculty, staff members Featured Image

2026 teaching excellence awards celebrate 10 faculty, staff members

Teachers, advisors recognized for supporting student success, scholarly research engagements, creating inclusive classroom experiences