Laura Stallings Drops "Interim" From Her Title; Becomes Director of Student Counseling Center

Laura Stallings was appointed director of the Student Counseling Center (SCC), said Mark Ankeny, vice president of enrollment management and student affairs. She has been interim director since early this year.

Stallings holds a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in traumatic stress studies from Adler University in Chicago. She has worked at Pacific University since August 2015 with her primary role serving as a generalist psychologist providing individual and group therapy to undergraduate and graduate students, providing leadership as the practicum training coordinator, serving as a liaison to the campus wellness coordinator, and focusing on suicide prevention efforts.

"Laura has provided excellent leadership as the SCC staff and psychologists serve an increasing population of students seeking psychological services for life problems that interfere with their pursuit of education at Pacific," Ankeny said.

The SCC strives to support students in reaching their academic potential by focusing on intellectual, emotional, social, and cultural development. Providing clinical services in Forest Grove to students on the Forest Grove and Hillsboro campuses, the SCC also offers consultation, outreach, and psycho-educational training related to mental health to students, paraprofessionals, staff, and faculty. As a partner in fulfilling Pacific University’s mission, the SCC staff advocates for inclusion and sensitivity regarding issues related to mental health and intersecting cultural identities by providing consultation to university committees as they develop university policies, procedures, and support services to increase retention.