Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Media Contact:
Katie Lacey | Communications Specalist | 405-744-9347 | [email protected]
Dr. Robert Morgan graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Ph.D. in Counseling
Psychology. He now serves as dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Southern
Illinois University, where he is also a professor in the School of Psychological and
Behavioral Sciences. Morgan assumed his new role following more than 20 years as a
faculty member at Texas Tech University.
He shared some of his experiences and advice below:
How did Oklahoma State University help prepare you for your career?
The faculty in the counseling psychology program at OSU were instrumental in my professional
success. My primary mentor, Dr. Carrie Winterowd, gave me the latitude to explore
areas of research that were of interest to me, even when they stretched her own area
of focus. The faculty provided me support and encouragement to pursue my dreams, even
when those dreams changed late in my Ph.D. studies. The counseling psychology program
gave me the skills, including critical thinking skills, that laid the foundation for
all of my future professional endeavors. I remain grateful to the faculty to this
day. I was also fortunate to have a skilled and talented peer group, some of whom
remain friends and confidants to this day. Success in academia is a team game. Continuing
that metaphor, I was very fortunate to learn from great coaches and teammates in my
time at OSU.
What were the most beneficial opportunities and classes at OSU and why?
The most beneficial opportunities at OSU were the external practicum (clinical externship)
opportunities. These practica allowed students like me to not only gain clinical experience
to develop our psychotherapy and psychological assessment skills, but they also afforded
us opportunities to interact with other professionals and — at times — to navigate
complex interagency dynamics. These types of experiences were invaluable to my development
including my advancement through the academic administrative ranks.
What advice would you give to other Counseling Psychology students?
My advice to doctoral students in the counseling psychology program remains the same
today as it did for me when I was a …….
Source: https://news.okstate.edu/articles/education-human-sciences/2022/meet-dr-robert-morgan.html