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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate course aimed at preparing school counselors to provide better career and college choices won the attention of a national higher education conference held July 28 at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and sponsored by the White House.

School Counseling for Postsecondary and Career Readiness is a new course offered through WMU's Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology. The course, which makes its debut this fall, was recognized during the College Opportunity Agenda event held at Harvard. Presenters praised its development and inclusion in a preparation program for school counselors.

Â鶹´«Ã½ the course

The WMU course was developed through a grant from the Michigan College Access Network obtained by Dr. Mary L. Anderson, associate professor of counselor education and counseling psychology. Brandy Johnson, executive director of MCAN, highlighted the course as a best practice to an audience of 100 participants at the Harvard event. An additional 500 participated online from locations around the country.

Another Michigan educator in attendance was Dr. Christopher Tremblay, WMU's associate provost for enrollment management, who received an invitation from the White House to attend. His doctoral research and dissertation was on the topic of college admissions counseling, and he has written extensively on the topic—including for a post-conference blog.

Â鶹´«Ã½ the event

The White House's College Opportunity Agenda was convened to bring together "thought leaders and decision makers focused on increasing access to college for all Americans." Specifically, the gathering was to highlight innovative practices in the areas of professional development and training, college counseling tools and exemplar initiatives and partnerships.