10/09/2017
Former NCDA Presidents Passed Away
W. Wesley Tennyson passed away June 3, 2017. He served as NCDA President 1966-67.
Quoted from Tennyson's obituary:
Wes served three years in military service during W.W. II, after which he re-enrolled at the University of Missouri and completed two under-graduate degrees and a Master's. This was followed by four years of teaching and counseling in the public schools before returning to graduate school to finish a doctorate in educational and counseling psychology. His initial tenured position was in the Department of Psychology at the Ohio State University, which terminated after a year when he accepted an invitation to join the faculty in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. It was here that he taught courses and advised graduate students in counseling psychology for 40 plus years, retiring as a Professor Emeritus in 1990.
Throughout his career a major thrust of Professor Tennyson's research and scholarly activities focused on career development education. Initially this interest served practicing counselors and counseling psychologists who, in keeping with historical times, pioneered this component of education, then known under the rubric "career guidance". Wes understood the limitations of the prevailing concept of career and saw a need to promote a broadened, more expansive educational effort in meeting the needs of students. Recognizing that teachers have an important influence on students' attitudes toward self and the world of work, a decision was made to promote implementation of career development education in the school curriculum. Abetted by the National Vocational Guidance Association (now the Career Development Association) to which Wes was elected for a 3-year presidency, the project became launched in 1966 with a National Invitational Conference that brought together educational leaders, prominent career psychologists, and Office of Education personnel for their input.
With the assistance of interested graduate students and faculty members, numerous elements of the program evolved over the ensuing years. These included: (1) Identifying career competences appropriate to different life stages, and writing instructional objective for each, (2) Publishing numerous articles and several monographs related to educating for career development, (3) Producing 13 career resource guides and learning modules for dissemination, and (4) Delivering countless addresses and workshops for school and college personnel. A high point for the team was when Wes was contacted by the Agency for Instructional Television which sought to use our work and consultation to develop a series of demonstration programs for viewing on public television. Given the title "bread and butterflies" and supported by a consortium of 44 states, this popular series consisted of a study guide, fourteen instructional films, a children's book with activities designed to foster awareness and critical thought, along with a teachers' manual.
Diane Kjos, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Governors State University, passed away on Saturday, September 30, 2017. She served as President of the National Career Development Association (2000-2001).
An open letter from Dr Kjos' former student:
I am writing to share the sad news of the passing of a valued, long time member of the counseling profession- Diane Kjos, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Governors State University. Diane passed away on Saturday, September 30th. Diane taught at Governors State University from 1988-2001. She was deeply passionate about career counseling having served as President of the National Career Development Association (2000-2001), the Illinois Career Development Association and as the first director of the Illinois Career Information Delivery System. Dr. Kjos, working alongside colleague and friend Jon Carlson, co-produced three major video series on psychotherapy, family counseling and brief therapy. Diane was residing in the Chicago area at the time of her passing.
I began my career in the counseling profession as a student of Dr. Kjos at GSU in 1988. She taught me counseling theory, ethics, pre-practicum skills, and the best darn masters level career class I've ever encountered. We went beyond theory into an actual career counseling practicum. It was Diane, with her mentorship and gentle nudging, that led me to my very first professional conference presentation at the Illinois Counseling Association conference-naturally the presentation focused on a model of career interviewing. Her belief in career development as a core competency area for all counseling specialties is a legacy left for the counseling profession to carry on.
It is ironic that her passing occurred on the cusp of ACES' conference in Chicago. Services were held Sunday 8 October 2pm at Cross of Glory Church 14719 W 163rd St, Homer Glen, IL 60491 .
David
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David M. Kleist, Ph.D
Department of Counseling, Chair
Idaho State University
