ARCA 2011 Doctoral Student of the Year

Amanda McCarthy graduated from University of Wisconsin – Stout in 2007 with her Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Evaluation. During her graduate program, she completed an internship as a rehabilitation counselor with the Division of Rehabilitation Services in DeKalb, IL and as a vocational evaluator at Illinois WorkNet Center in DeKalb, IL. Since her graduation, Amanda has been employed as a clinical faculty member in the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Northern Illinois University (NIU). As a clinical faculty, she has been responsible for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in rehabilitation counseling, supervising students engaged in practicum and internship experiences, and providing rehabilitation counseling services to clients through the university’s clinic and at a local not-for-profit organization that provides services to people with disabilities.

In 2009 Amanda started as a full-time doctoral student in Counselor Education and Supervision at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. While a doctoral student, Amanda has engaged in research, teaching, and service in rehabilitation counseling. She has published several articles related to vocational assessment for people with disabilities. She co-guest edited a special issue of the Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling on Veterans with Disabilities. She is starting work on her dissertation topic related to clinical supervision in public sector rehabilitation counseling. Amanda has served as a board member for the Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment Professional (VECAP) Organization for the past two years and was selected as a student representative on a faculty search committee. Amanda has also assisted with admissions for the rehabilitation counseling program at NIU. Amanda has taught various courses in rehabilitation counseling including practicum, internship, advanced practicum, and introduction to topics in rehabilitation services, and introduction to rehabilitation services. She has co-taught counseling skills and strategies and career counseling.

Amanda’s future career goals include obtaining a tenure track faculty position in a graduate rehabilitation counseling program. She is also very interested in continuing to serve the field through professional organization leadership and continued research in rehabilitation counseling.