Jennifer R. Curry

Jennifer R. Curry, PhD, NCC, serves as the Vira Franklin and James R. Eagles Professor in Counselor Education at Louisiana State University's College of Human Sciences and Education. A nationally recognized scholar with over 50 peer-reviewed publications and six books, she directs research on career and college readiness while shaping counselor education standards through ASCA leadership.

Her academic foundation includes:

• BS in Psychology and Sociology from Western Kentucky University
• MEd in Human Development Counseling (School Counseling Concentration) from Vanderbilt University
• PhD in Counselor Education from the University of Central Florida

Dr. Curry's research program pioneers evidence-based approaches to career and college readiness and school counselor development, with groundbreaking work on African American student pathways and ASCA National Model implementation. Her scholarship bridges policy gaps through mixed-methods studies on service-learning integration and athletic career transitions, emphasizing equity in P-12 counseling systems.

Recent publications (2018-2021) reveal three critical trends: 1) Systemic analysis of school counselor roles in career development policy implementation 2) Culturally responsive frameworks for African American male athletes' academic preparation 3) Innovative apprenticeship models connecting secondary education to workforce readiness. This body of work establishes her as a leading voice in transforming school counseling practice through research-driven solutions.

Her exceptional contributions are recognized through:

• American Counseling Association’s Ross Trust Award
• ASERVIC Judith Miranti Lifetime Service Award
• Biggs Pine Publication Award
• LSU Distinguished Faculty Award
• Louisiana Counseling Association’s dual Research and Advocacy Awards

As an educator and policy influencer, Dr. Curry has served as Louisiana School Counselor Association President and ASCA National Assembly Delegate. She currently co-leads a $1.5M NSF-funded initiative (Preparing Resilient Individuals to Succeed in Engineering) addressing engineering student retention through comprehensive support systems. Her prior field experience investigating crimes against children and serving as K-12 counselor directly informs her practice-oriented research.

Professional engagement spans editorial leadership as Associate Editor for Professional School Counseling and international conference presentations exceeding 150 venues, demonstrating sustained commitment to advancing counselor education through scholarship, policy advocacy, and community partnerships.