LA GRANDE, Ore. — Eastern Oregon University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and its faculty earned three awards presented at the 2026 Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (WACES) conference, receiving recognition for program innovation, professional service, and research.
EOU received the WACES Innovative Counselor Education Program Award, which honors an outstanding, innovative, or unique counselor education program in the western region.
Two EOU faculty members also received individual honors. Dr. Hope Schuermann earned the WACES Professional Service Award, recognizing outstanding service to the association or to the advancement of counselor education and supervision. Dr. Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett received the WACES Research Award, which recognizes significant research in counseling, counselor education, or counselor supervision.
Together, the three awards highlight the contributions of EOU’s counseling faculty, both through their work preparing future mental health counselors and through their involvement in the profession.
Schuermann and fellow faculty members Drs. Rochelle Cade, Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett, and Jordan Mike attended the conference. All four presented, sharing their work with colleagues from across the region. Schuermann and Mike also participated in conference events as members of the WACES board.
