I am excited that you have decided to join us on your path to becoming a professional counselor! I wanted to take a minute to invite you to join a student organization designed just for you. The Counseling Organization of Graduate Students (COGS) was reconstituted two years ago as an organization focused on the professional development, education, and training of students in the Counselor Education Program at UNO through collaboration, networking, advocacy, workshops, community service, and more.

In the last two years we have performed over 100 hours of service involving advocacy for our profession and erasing the stigma of seeking help for mental health. In addition we have had seven workshops, panels, and roundtables for professional development, networking, and educational opportunities; five socials, two of which were in conjunction with UNO􀂶s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the counseling honor society; and monthly member meetings for information dissemination, professional development, idea sharing, self-care, and networking opportunities throughout the Fall and Spring semesters.

We have also built up an effective mentoring program for newer students to pair with more advanced students to get their questions answered, receive support, and ease their transition into the program. We encourage all new students to consider this program. Participation in the COGS Mentorship Program as a mentee does not require membership in COGS, but it is strongly encouraged. All students admitted to the Counselor Education Program at the University of New Orleans are eligible for this program, which accepts participants on a first come first served basis.

COGS is open to all students who have been accepted into the Counselor Education Program at the University of New Orleans. Membership is $10 each semester and requires only an application form for admittance. The application forms for membership and the mentoring program can be found here: https://unocogs.wordpress.com/about-us/applications/.  Please save the file to your computer and e-mail the completed form to jmiguez1@uno.edu rather than hitting “submit form.” We hope you’ll join us as you also become our classmates, colleagues, and friends!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Miguez
President
Counseling Organization of Graduate Students