Saint Rose school counseling student wins statewide scholarship

Gabrielle Warren, who expects to complete her master’s degree in school counseling from Saint Rose in 2023, is among three recipients of the 2022 New York State School Counseling Association scholarship. The $2,000 award recognizes the candidate’s academic performance, recommendations, and responses to essay questions about the field.

Warren, a native of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Alfred University with a concentration in child psychology and clinical psychology. She minored in equine studies (and was a member of the varsity equestrian team). Looking ahead, she envisions a career combining school-based counseling and equine therapy.

She discusses the work and her Saint Rose education here:

How did you become interested in school counseling?

I always knew that I wanted to work in psychology/counseling but really fell in love with school counseling while completing my practicum at a school while completing my undergraduate degree.

When I think back to my experience in elementary school the most influential person for me was my school counselor. As someone that struggled with anxiety from a young age, I hope to be supportive to students as they develop emotional intelligence and validate their emotions, while providing them with invaluable tools to manage emotions throughout the rest of their life. I can’t think of a more important job than helping students find their stride and set them up for a life full of happiness and success.

How has the Saint Rose graduate counseling program prepared you?

I love the Saint Rose counseling department because of how passionate and supportive the professors are. Not only do they challenge us to think outside the box, but they make me feel even more passionate about the work. One thing that really stands out is the importance placed on self-care.

I have just finished my practicum at Pinewood Intermediate School (grades 3 through 5, Mohanasen Central School District) and will be continuing to work at the same school for my internship in the fall! My expected graduation date is May 2023, so I have two more semesters left! I am very excited to jump into the field!

Why is it important to shift from the traditional college-prep high school “guidance counselor model” to the current role as a support for kindergarten through high school graduation?

As someone who has always wanted to work in the elementary schools, I believe that serving elementary students is a crucial part in our students’ journey to happiness and success in high school and throughout the rest of their lives. Elementary school years are so monumental in terms of the development of students. I truly believe that the presence of a school counselor during these stages of lives can have a large impact on the rest of our students’ lives.

What is your professional goal?

I would love to work in an elementary school in a very small K-12 district, where I would have the honor of seeing students grow from kindergarteners all the way through high school and beyond to bigger and better things in their lives.

I would also love to be able to combine my passion for horses and animal-assisted therapy with my passion for working with children. I have dreams of incorporating animal-assisted therapy into my work with students in ways such as having a therapy dog accompany me to school as a work with students or have the ability to incorporate equine-assisted therapy.

By Jane M. Gottlieb