GVSU receives school counselor grant

Grand Valley State University received a $10,000 grant to enhance its school counseling program. The School Counselor Graduate Program Planning Grant was received from the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) in partnership with the Kresge Foundation.

Shawn Bultsma, program director, said the money will help Grand Valley graduates be better prepared as school counselors to help K-12 students be socially, academically and financially ready for postsecondary education. “Professional school counselors are uniquely positioned to build a school’s college-going culture and prepare all students for postsecondary education, especially students from low-income families and those who are first in their family to go to college,” said Bultsma.

Bultsma said the grant will allow Grand Valley’s school counseling faculty align curriculum with the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness, which include academic planning for college and career readiness, extracurricular engagement, affordability planning, and understanding of admission processes among others.

“The eight components allow K-12 school counselors to own a critical piece of education reform,” said Bultsma. “School counselors are the ones responsible for helping students nurture their dreams and for helping them create pathways to those dreams.”

For more information, contact Shawn Bultsma at (616) 331-6648 or [email protected].