New partnership will train counseling students to support military population

Summary

The School of Education Counselor Education Program has established a new partnership to train student counselors seeking to work with military, veterans and their families.

Full Description

In May 2026, the Counselor Education Program at William & Mary established a new strategic partnership extended to us from the Military Family Research Institute, the Center for Deployment Psychology, and the Star Behavioral Health Providers Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to offer professional development resources such as free continuing education for students and pre-licensed counselors seeking to work with military, veterans and their families.

Demand is increasing for civilian professional counselors that have specific knowledge about military culture. This partnership aligns with programmatic goals of training future counselors to meet the unique needs of this population. Upon finishing state licensure requirements, counselors engaged with the partnership can be listed in a directory to receive direct referrals to serve the military community.