Southeastern professor Daniel Weigel recipient of two awards from Oklahoma counseling organizations

Press Release Date: 3-3-2011

DURANT, Okla. – Dr. Daniel Weigel, Associate Professor of Counseling in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, was the recipient of two Human Rights awards at the 2011 Oklahoma Counseling Association (OCA) Mid-Winter Conference. The conference was held March 3-4 in Norman.

Weigel received the 2010 Oklahoma Human Rights Award from the OCA, which is the premier state association for the 3,000-plus professional counselors statewide. Only one Oklahoma counselor receives this award each year.

In addition, Weigel was the recipient of the Human Rights Award from the Oklahoma Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (OACES). The OACES represents counselor educators and clinical supervisors in Oklahoma. Only one Oklahoma counselor educator and/or supervisor receives this award annually.

The awards were presented in recognition of Weigel’s efforts in championing human rights issues through service and advocacy in the mental health profession.

"The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, as well as the students in the program, are fortunate to have such a qualified and dedicated professor like Dr. Weigel," said Dr. William Mawer, Dean of the School of Education & Behavioral Sciences. "He is very deserving of these state awards and we commend him on his service to the profession."

A member of the Southeastern faculty since 2002, Weigel earned his Ph.D. at Idaho State University and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Dakota.

Weigel’s contributions to his profession include volunteer work in disaster counseling through the American Red Cross (including work in Manhattan following the 9-11 terrorist attacks); four years as member of the Oklahoma LPC Advisory Board; assistance to the local abused women’s and children’s shelter; rape crisis team interventionist; participation in soup kitchens and homeless shelters; and service to Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics.

Weigel’s other activities include presenting more than 50 professional workshops to mental health professionals across the nation; strengthening training of local counselors by seeking to establish national accreditation of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s Degree Program at Southeastern; completing several peer-reviewed publications, including a rural counseling textbook; and engaging in numerous legislative activities at the state and national levels to improve mental health care and provider regulations to best serve the needs of Oklahomans.