Mindi Thompson

Mindi Thompson is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her work bridges vocational development, mental health, and social class dynamics. She directs the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions (CCWT), funded by major organizations like the National Science Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Dr. Thompson holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Akron (2008) and has authored over 45 peer-reviewed publications, including the textbook Research Design in Counseling.

Her research focuses on two primary domains: 1) vocational and educational development, including internship impacts and workforce transitions; and 2) mental health interventions, particularly for marginalized populations. Notable projects include studying low-income students' social class concealment and developing guidelines for psychological practice with economically disadvantaged groups.

Thompson has received prestigious awards such as the APA Society of Counseling Psychology's Kuder Early Career Award (2016) and the UW-Madison Excellence in Diversity Award (2016). Her work emphasizes social justice, equity in education, and the intersection of socioeconomic status with mental health outcomes. She also serves as Academic Director for the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.

• Grants & Funding: NSF, Strada Education Network, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Key Roles: Director of CCWT, Academic Director of Faculty Programs (NC-FDD), Department Chair since 2020
• Labs/Teams: CCWT focuses on college-workforce transitions; her research group explores social class in psychotherapy and internship equity