University Counseling Services offers healing and hope

Friday, April 15, 2011

By Aubrey Raupe

OSU University Counseling Services (UCS) Director Suzanne Burks meets with a student in her office. One-on-one counseling is just one of the many ways UCS serves the OSU campus on a daily basis. UCS was recently re-accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.

Thousands of Oklahoma State University students have benefited from University Counseling Services (UCS) since it was established more than 25 years ago. With 14 counselors on staff, Counseling Services continues to help students with any issues they may be facing.

Suzanne Burks, director of UCS, has been with the department for more than 20 years. Burks says there are two important things students should know about counseling.

“No one at counseling is going to force you to make changes, unless you want to make those changes,” Burks said. “Also, by law and professional standards, we cannot release your name to anyone. So, no one will know you were here, unless you tell them.”

Burks believes counseling is one of the only places you can go and have someone’s undivided attention for an hour and not be judged by what you’ve said or done.

In addition to helping students on a one-on-one basis, UCS also was instrumental in the healing process for the entire OSU community following the OSU plane crash. The crash in Colorado on January 27, 2001, killed 10 men, including two athletes, associated with the OSU men’s basketball program.

Burks remembers vividly that night when she was called and asked to report to the OSU men’s basketball office because one of the planes had not returned. UCS began providing support right away to students and the families of the 10 men lost in the crash.

“People came in for a long time,” Burks said. “It really impacted this campus, and it wasn’t just some of them, it was everybody.”

Five years ago, The Remember the Ten Run was established to celebrate the lives of the ten men who lost their lives in the plane crash.

Because UCS was such an important part in the healing process in the days, months and years following the tragedy, benefits from the run have been donated to Counseling Services each year to help provide grief counseling.

Burks said that the plane crash is a part of OSU history that will never be forgotten.

“One of our challenges right now is to make it real for today’s students, because the minute you become an OSU student, you become part of the OSU family and that’s part of your heritage,” Burks said. “You need to know what that is when you walk through Gallagher-Iba and see the memorial.”

“We promised we would always remember, and this run is one way we can do just that,” Burks said.

Tomorrow, the Remember the Ten Run will be held to celebrate and honor the 10 men who lost their lives in the plane crash. The run begins at 9 a.m. at the south side of Boone Pickens Stadium.