Dr. Ken Messina

 

1. Tell me about yourself. What is your educational background and where have you worked previously? 

I received my BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Waynesburg College and my MA in Community Counseling from the Counseling and Development department here at Slippery Rock. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate programs I worked in various different positions at Community Counseling Center in Mercer County. Following graduation from SRU, I continued to work at Community Counseling Center as a counselor in many different programs. I worked in mental health, addiction, and family and couples counseling at the outpatient and intensive outpatient levels while at CCC. I was also a supervisor and was a site supervisor for many Counseling and Development students throughout the years. I also did program evaluation, served in leadership roles, and provided training and onboarding for new counselors. I then attended Duquesne University where I received my PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. During my PhD program, I continued to work full time and served as an adjunct in the Counseling and Development Department at SRU and in the Counseling program at Duquesne. After receiving my PhD, I taught in the Masters of Counseling Program at Minnesota State University Moorhead where I served as Clinic Coordinator, Clinical Mental Health program coordinator, Professional Counseling Certificate Coordinator, and chaired the graduate program prior to coming to SRU.

2. What attracted you to Slippery Rock University, and in particular, the College of Education?

My experience in the Counseling Development department as first a student and then an adjunct solidified for me that I wanted to be here. I always remained connected to the department and faculty throughout my professional career which made coming back to SRU a kind of homecoming for me.

3. What is your favorite course to teach? Why?

I love teaching the Family Counseling course. I have always had a love for systems theory and really enjoy helping students to shift their thinking to include the larger context of the person. This was also the first course I ever taught so it will always hold a special place for me. I also enjoy teaching the Practicum and Internship courses. I love having the opportunity to see students begin to apply all that they have learned throughout their programs of study and see the growth they make throughout their last year in the program.

4. What is the most rewarding experience working as the Student Counseling Center’s Clinical Director and Associate Professor?

Picking one is difficult as my position has so many different aspects to it. As Clinical Director, the most rewarding part is seeing the progress we have made with increasing the visibility of the Counseling Center and our counselors on campus while reducing barriers for students to receive services. As a counselor, it is seeing a student who came into counseling really struggling to cope with the various stressors life has thrown at them and see them leave counseling with a sense of confidence and ability to reach their full potential. From a teaching perspective, the most rewarding experience is seeing students grow, professionally and personally, throughout their time in our program. To see a student go from a being a new graduate student to a competent and confident professional at graduation and knowing I played some role in their development is the most rewarding aspect for me. 

5. What were you like as a college student?

As an undergraduate, I struggled my first two years in college. I was a first generation college student and struggled with trying to figure out all of the processes and intricacies of how to be a successful college student beyond the academics. Fortunately, there are many more supports and a much better orientation process now than we had when I first began college. However, I would say the one thing that was consistent throughout was that I was always wanting to learn more. That is something that has carried over through my graduate studies and into my professional life.

6. What do you know now that you wish you would have known as a college student?

There are so many things that I wish I knew then, particularly that eventually student loans become due. The other thing I would want to tell myself as a college student is that it is all worth it. That the studying and lack of sleep eventually pay off. Often it can be so hard to see it when you are in the middle of your college career, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.