COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES SCHOLARSHIP PORTFOLIO (2013) | Page 18

Department of Counseling
The Department of Counseling was established in 1948 in response to the U.S. Government’s
call for post-war training and development of veterans and the American people. Since
our founding, the department has essentially focused on responding to the needs of the
American people, particularly in the bay area. The Department achieves excellence in three
core areas: Multicultural Competence, Community Partnerships, and Action Research. These
aspirations are intertwined such that multicultural competence is the underlying foundation
for our community partnerships and our selection of research questions as well as methods.
Community partnerships exist not only to provide service, but to strengthen the relevance of
research to the real-world.
Our faculty are locally, nationally, and internationally recognized in their scholarly
contributions to multicultural competence in counseling, social justice, and health equity. Our
research ranges from qualitative to quantitative examinations of issues that affect the lives of
people every day. We examine access to mental health services for Latinos/as through radio;
barriers to access for Asian Americans through the examination of cultural and systemic
factors; the mental health impact of racial discrimination experienced by Asian Americans;
social ecological structures that will facilitate wellness among persons with disabilities;
improving counseling methods for older adults; and establishing national standards for cultural
competence and advocacy in counseling and psychology.

Student Honors
Jenna French is an exemplary leader and role model for her peers, and
she has extraordinary passion and commitment to improving the lives
of persons with disabilities. In 2013, she was honored with the Peggy
H. Smith Distinguished Student Award. Jenna has taken on leadership
roles in the department, university and community with a primary focus
to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. Jenna presented at
the 2012 National Council on Rehabilitation Education. In addition,
Jenna has been nominated for and received multiple awards: the 2012
American Rehabilitation Counseling Association student of the year
award; the Cindy Kolb Memorial Award from the California Association
for Postsecondary Education and Disability Convention, and the Students
with Disabilities Scholarship from SFSU’s Associated Students Inc.
Jenna was primary to the growth and leadership of the Rehabilitation
Student Association, she is co-founder and group leader of the DPRC
Support Group for Students on the Autism Spectrum, she is the Graduate
Membership Chair for the California Counseling Association, and she is
the graduate student representative on the All University Committee on
Students, Faculty & Staff with Disabilities.

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Camille Santana was honored with the Peggy H. Smith Distinguished
Student Award in 2012. She was also recognized for her academic
achievement, leadership, and commitment to underserved communities
through the Mental Health Services Act. She was granted a large
scholarship upon graduation for her accomplishments. Camille has
worked for San Francisco State’s Metro Academy which supports firstgeneration college students in earning a college degree. In addition,
she has worked with Project Rebound at San Francisco State to support
formerly incarcerated students.