The Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) selected Lewis Johnson to receive its 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Johnson, coordinator of academic services in the John C. Ford Student Success Center, will earn his second Neumann degree in May 2022 with an MS in Pastoral Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

The PCA is the state branch of the American Counseling Association. The association’s mission is to promote and support the competent, ethical, and culturally inclusive practice of professional counseling in Pennsylvania. In addition, the association works to protect and advocate for all counselors and their clients. 

The PCA’s Outstanding Graduate Student Award is given to an individual who is currently a graduate student in professional counseling within the state and who shows excellent potential and professionalism.

In April, Johnson received a scholarship from the organization, intended to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) members of the group. He also represented the PCA as the graduate student member for PASERVIC, the Pennsylvania Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling.

Johnson has been juggling his full-time position at Neumann with his grad school studies for the past three years. He also counsels clients through an internship at the Phoenix Trauma Center in Media, Pennsylvania, where he was just hired as a counselor-in-training by another alumnus, Dr. Scott Giacomucci ’13, the founder and director of the Center.