Norma L. Day-Vines, associate dean for faculty development at the School of Education, is the recipient of the 2019 American Counseling Association Presidential Citation. She was recently recognized with this honor at the opening ceremonies of the ACA Annual Conference in New Orleans in March 2019.
In announcing the award, the ACA praised Day-Vines for her significant contributions to the counseling profession and for the way she has enhanced the careers of many counselors. In particular, the ACA commended her for assisting counselors in having difficult conversations with clients about race, ethnicity, and culture. Her extensive research and the instrument she created, the Broaching Attitudes and Behavior Survey (BABS), have helped counselors to build rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds. The ACA also noted that, through her teaching and writings, Day-Vines has encouraged counselors to view each student and client holistically and from a strength-based perspective, while tackling major challenges such as suicide, tragedy, adversity, and discipline gaps among diverse backgrounds. According to the ACA, Day-Vines’ research has had “an enormous impact in training school-based counselors and professional counselors in the community who work with children—and will continue to affect youth wellness for years to come.”
