Wilcox earns national honors from American Psychological Association

Monday, August 26, 2019

Mel Wilcox, assistant professor in counseling and counseling psychology, was the recipient of three national awards at the American Psychological Association’s (APA) annual convention earlier this month. The following prestigious awards recognize Wilcox for her outstanding achievements within the psychology and counseling psychology profession:

• The APA Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) Early Career Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Counseling Psychology
• The APA Society of Counseling Psychology Section on Supervision and Training Outstanding Early Career Professional Supervisor/Trainer Award
• The APA Board of Educational Affairs Cynthia D. Belar Education Advocacy Distinguished Service Award

“Dr. Wilcox is passionate about her work in counseling psychology and has a significant history of leadership in the Society of Counseling Psychology and APA, beginning as a doctoral student,” said Julie Koch, head of the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology. “Her identities as a scientist-practitioner, advocate and mentor drive her to continue her involvement at the national level. These awards brings national recognition not only to Dr. Wilcox, but also to the counseling psychology program at Oklahoma State.”

Wilcox joined the OSU College of Education, Health and Aviation faculty in 2018, and she currently serves as the director of training for the counseling psychology doctoral program. Prior to coming to OSU, Wilcox was an assistant professor and director of the Psychological Services Clinic at Louisiana Tech University. She earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University at Albany in 2015. Wilcox’s research interests include multicultural psychotherapy (multicultural orientation and multicultural competencies); multicultural training and education; antiracism and critical whiteness studies; social class; and professional issues in psychology education and training, such as student loan debt. She currently serves on the APA Board of Educational Affairs and was recently selected to serve as the early career mentor for the Society of Counseling Psychology’s Leadership Collaborative. Beginning in January 2020, Wilcox will be a member of the editorial board for The Counseling Psychologist, a peer-reviewed academic journal.

The American Psychological Association is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United Sates, with more than 118,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members. Its mission is to promote the advancement, communication and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. The Society of Counseling Psychology, Division 17 of the APA was founded in 1946 to promote personal, educational, vocational and group adjustment in a variety of settings. The organization advocates for counseling psychology within the field of psychology and in the public sector.

Media Contact: Rachel Potts | 405-744-8320 | rachel.potts@okstate.edu