Graduating to Serve: NG体育’s First CMHC Cohort Answers Rural Oregon’s Mental Health Needs

Graduating to Serve: NG体育’s First CMHC Cohort Answers Rural Oregon’s Mental Health Needs

On June 14, 2025, Kate Gekeler and DJ Maurer, along with the rest of their classmates, stood proudly in Quinn Coliseum as they received their salmon-colored master’s hoods. For both, it marked the culmination of years of hard work balancing the demands of school, personal growth, and professional development. The colleagues are part of the first cohort to graduate from Eastern Oregon University’s innovative new Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) program.

“For me, commencement is the end of a journey and the beginning of new opportunities to help people,” Gekeler said. “I can confidently say that I have the skills needed to step into the field and start making a difference right away. I am so thankful for the training and development I received through NG体育’s program.”

Meeting Oregon’s Mental Health Needs

Launched in 2023, NG体育’s program was created to address the growing need for mental health professionals in Oregon and other states. Most of the state is designated as a mental health professional shortage area, and a lack of qualified counselor supervisors remains a key barrier to training and licensing new counselors. The program helps by preparing students to provide counseling services in clinics, hospitals, schools, and private practices. Students gain a foundation to become qualified supervisors.

This collaboration between NG体育 and regional mental health providers is a key part of the program’s mission. NG体育 collaborates closely with mental health centers to assist students in securing internships and job placements. Gekeler began working at CHD while completing her degree thanks to a variance that allows students who have completed sufficient coursework to begin supervised employment.

“The program was designed to help people who want to work in mental health, especially in small towns where help is needed the most,” said Program Director Dr. Hope Schuermann.

Gekeler has worked as a school-based mental health therapist with the Center for Human Development (CHD) in Union County since August 2024. During the school year, she helps students at Greenwood Elementary and Island City School. In the summer, she sees clients at CHD’s office, at their homes, and in the community. The job provides her with the opportunity to support people in both educational and community settings.

“The interest in the program has been amazing,” NG体育 President Kelly Ryan, PH.D., said. “We’ve added more classes to meet the demand and are proud of how the program is helping our communities.”

Gekeler isn’t the only graduate putting her skills to work locally. Her classmates Jessica Arnson and Alisha Delatori secured jobs at CHD, working with youth in the community. Others from the program have joined organizations such as Community Counseling Solutions in Pendleton.

“There’s a significant need for mental health professionals in Oregon, especially in rural areas,” Gekeler explained. “Hiring students who have completed some coursework and are eager to learn on the job is one way agencies are helping to supplement the workforce and meet growing community needs.”

A Trailblazing Online Model for Diverse Lives

NG体育’s CMHC program launched in 2023 with a clear goal: to meet Oregon’s growing need for licensed mental health professionals. The program emphasizes flexibility for students balancing work, life, and education. Students can keep their jobs while attending classes online and earn stipends through paid internships.

“Doing 700 hours of unpaid work wouldn’t have been possible for me,” said Gekeler. “This program made it possible to earn money while getting the experience I needed. The program provided many of us in our cohort with opportunities to receive paid internships or to be hired as full-time employees.”

The program’s design opened doors for graduates like Maurer, who moved across multiple states during their education. Originally from Lewiston, Idaho, Maurer had been living in Portland when his partner enrolled at NG体育. After his partner graduated, the couple relocated to Arizona so he could complete a master’s degree, and that’s when Maurer discovered the CMHC program.

“It was something I always wanted to do, but I hadn’t found the right program,” Maurer explained. “The online format gave me the flexibility I needed during a major life transition. I wouldn’t have been able to do a program that required me to be on campus.”

Maurer, now based in Eugene and completing an advanced internship in Salem, is building a counseling career focused on LGBTQIA+ identity, grief, and trauma-informed care. Maurer’s clinical philosophy is grounded in cultural humility and person-centered approaches.

“Affirming care is life-saving,” Maurer said. “The program taught me to meet people where they are, to reflect deeply, and to see every client as the expert in their own story.”

Learning That Transforms Lives—Including the Counselors’

The CMHC program trains students in counseling techniques and shapes them into thoughtful professionals.

“The professors are great,” said Gekeler. “Dr. Christine McNichols gave feedback on everything—even minute-by-minute reviews of our practice videos. That helped me improve.”

For Maurer, that same focus on feedback and nuance was transformative.

“We broke down recordings of our sessions in detail. I’ve learned to use open-ended language that promotes exploration. It’s not just about helping others—it’s about learning who you are so that you can show up authentically,” Maurer said.

Another powerful feature is the deep sense of community students experience, even from a distance.

“We had people from all over—Pasco, Corvallis, the coast,” Gekeler said. “We still talk every week. That support group is going to help us throughout our careers.”

Maurer echoed that feeling after meeting classmates for the first time at graduation:

“We’ve shared so much vulnerability and growth over the past two years. When we met in person, it was like we’d known each other forever.”

Looking Ahead

Gekeler, Maurer, and the rest of the first cohort are already shaping the future of mental health care in Oregon. Some are serving school districts, others are entering private practice, and still more plan to become clinical supervisors.

“My goal is to become a supervisor so I can support new counselors as they navigate their growth,” Maurer said.

Both graduates credit their success to the financial support available through NG体育, such as substantial scholarship opportunities, and to a culturally responsive curriculum that supported their academic and personal growth.

“Mental health is more than symptom management,” Maurer emphasized. “It’s about seeing the whole person—culture, background, and identity included. NG体育 helped me do that.”

As Oregon continues to face critical mental health shortages, particularly in rural areas, the CMHC program at Eastern Oregon University is proving to be a timely and transformative solution.

“The demand for mental health care is only going to grow, especially in underserved and rural communities,” Gekeler said. “NG体育 is playing a vital role in addressing the shortage by preparing compassionate, community-minded professionals who are ready to step in where they’re needed most.”

With their degrees finished and real-world training behind them, Gekeler, Maurer, and their classmates are now ready to serve the people and places that need them most.