A new gift to the University of Missouri College of Education connects the past of one the nation’s best counseling psychology programs to its future.

The inaugural recipient of the Norman C. Gysbers, Ph.D. Faculty Fellow in Counseling Psychology is Lisa Flores, a professor and program training director in the Department of Educational, School & Counseling Psychology.

Dr. Flores’ scholarly work is focused on the career development of women and Latino/as and the integration of Latino/a immigrants in rural communities. Her current grant supported research is a five-year longitudinal study of cultural and social cognitive influences in the persistence intentions, academic engagement, and academic satisfaction of women and Latino/as in engineering.

Dr. Flores has published more than 65 journal publications, 18 book chapters, one co-edited book and presented at more than 200 conferences.

She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Divisions 17, 35, 45) and has received several honors including:

• The Distinguished Career Award from the Society of Vocational Psychology
• The Shining Star Award from the National Multicultural Conference and Summit
• The John Holland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Career or Personality Research from the Society of Counseling Psychology, and
• Early career professional awards from both the Society of Counseling Psychology and the National Latina/o Psychological Association.

Professor Gysbers is one of the College of Education’s most decorated faculty members. He served at the University of Missouri for 52 years and retired in 2015 as a Curators’ Distinguished Professor.  In 1971, Dr. Gysbers was awarded a United States Office of Education grant to work with states to develop fully comprehensive career guidance programs for schools. He pioneered the comprehensive program model and is widely known today as the “father of school guidance programs.”

Professor Gysbers and his wife, Elinor, an alumna of the College, established the Norman C. Gysbers, Ph.D. Faculty Endowment in Counseling Psychology. “The College is extremely grateful that Professor Gysbers and his wife, Elinor, have ensured that his legacy of compassion, innovation and hard work continues long after his retirement,” said Kathryn Chval, Dean of the College of Education. “Professor Flores is the perfect inaugural recipient of this faculty fellowship and it will enhance her significant research.”

The 2019 US News and World Report has named the College’s counseling program #3 in the nation. For more information visit escp.missouri.edu.

Dean Kathryn Chval, Lisa Flores, and Norm Gysbers at the 50th Annual Awards Banquet.