Student Advocates for Virginia’s Citizens

Counselor Ed Student Advocates for Virginia’s Citizens at 2024 VCA Legislative Day

In the summer of 2021, 24 years after earning her undergraduate degree at Longwood, Kara Pfohl enrolled as a graduate student in the university’s Counselor Education M.S. program. In February 2024, she found herself at the Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) Legislative Day voicing her support for legislation that impacts counselors in Virginia. 

“I have wanted to be more active in advocating for the counseling profession, for better mental health services throughout Virginia, and for reducing the stigma around mental health and counseling,” Pfohl said. “After attending Legislative Day, it did not seem so intimidating to be part of that conversation with legislators about our concerns for the mental health and wellness of Virginia's citizens.”

Alongside Longwood professors Dr. Justin Jordan and Dr. Kathleen McCleskey, Pfohl reviewed bills, including SB 603 (in favor of a work group to study the substance abuse treatment needs of pregnant incarcerated women) and HB 1269/SB 626 (allowing certain individuals convicted of barrier crimes to apply for jobs in substance abuse/mental health programs if it has been at least three years since their conviction). She prepared for her meeting by joining Dr. McCleskey on a visit with legislators. Pfohl then met with her own home district legislators, Senator John McGuire and Delegate Tom Garrett.

“Before going to Legislative Day, I thought that the legislators may not really listen or be engaged in what we were there to talk about, but I was pleasantly surprised that they did listen and seemed to care as well,” she said. 

Both SB 603 and HB 1269/SB 626 (amended to a four-year requirement) passed Virginia’s General Assembly, were approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin, and go into effect July 1, 2024. 

“This gave me even more motivation to continue to be a part of advocating for better mental health services, expanding access, improving crisis services, and reducing stigma of mental health,” Pfohl said.

Though she had been a member of VCA for years, Pfohl hadn’t been active in the organization until prompted in 2024 by an email from Dr. Jordan. Pfohl’s experience at VCA Legislative Day highlights the strong mentorship and professional support of Longwood’s faculty, as well as the program’s real-world dedication to advocacy for social justice. 

“The professors welcome the day that you will graduate and enter the profession as a fellow counselor,” she said. 

From them, Pfohl has learned that — especially in the field of counseling — your education never really ends. 

“They encourage us to learn and grow but also emphasize that there will always be a need to continue to learn in our career, even once we have reached our goal of being a fully licensed professional counselor,” she said.

In addition to her relationships with professors, Pfohl has made other important professional connections at Longwood as well. She met her current internship supervisor, Glenn Fowlkes of Fulcrum Counselors, at a retirement lunch for Dr. Jennifer Apperson, Longwood counselor education professor and licensed clinical psychologist.

“This internship with Fulcrum Counselors has allowed me to work as a mental health counselor within the school setting,” Pfohl said. “That one professional connection that was made at that lunch has greatly shifted my career path.”

Pfohl, who chose the mental health counseling track in Longwood’s CACREP-accredited program, anticipates receiving her master’s degree in counselor education in December 2024. 

“I plan to continue to advocate and to try to learn much more after I graduate from Longwood about leadership and making a difference for others not only in the state of Virginia, but also federally for others in our country as well.”