By Cassandra Wilson

The Department of Counseling and Personnel Services (CAPS) in the College of Education has earned another No. 1 ranking in education in the 2009 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s guide to “America’s Best Graduate Schools.”

Donna Wiseman, the college’s newly appointed dean, says the depth of their faculty and the quality of their students helps them stay number one.

In addition to CAPS, another department and three programs are ranked in the Top 10 with five others in the Top 15. Among all colleges of education, Maryland is rated No. 25.

Founded in 1967, the CAPS department consists of one undergraduate minor in leadership studies and six graduate-level programs (school and rehabilitation counseling, college student personnel, psychology and counselor education). Since its beginning, CAPS has been known as one of the best programs of its kind.

Colleagues credit much of the department’s recent success to its chair Dennis Kivlighan, who is completing a one-year sabbatical. They describe him as “creative and visionary” and say his “strong leadership” has helped bring out the best in all of them. Kivlighan believes the credit must be shared equally.

Our programs work because of our collaborative leadership,” says Kivlighan. “Everyone—that includes faculty, students and staff—is focused on working together and gives more than the minimum expectation.”
The prestige of Maryland’s CAPS department makes recruiting the nation’s finest students fairly easy, but being number one is not always enough. Many in the department worry about their ability to compete in the near future.
“As the cost of living in this area increases and graduate stipends remain low, we are losing some of our top candidates to other institutions,” says Ruth Fassinger, interim chair and professor.

“It may not be realistic for them to come here, particularly those with families and students of color. Many are getting attractive offers and full funding elsewhere. We worry about that, and it needs to be a priority for the university,” she says.

The department’s faculty base is fairly stable., ,but being on top has at least one drawback: professors who are in constant demand. Kivlighan says they stay because of a strong commitment to their programs and students.
“Through their constant encouragement and wisdom, all of the faculty members in the school psychology program have impacted who I am as a student and who I will be as a practitioner,” says Daniel Newman, a doctoral candidate who co-instructs a consultation class and supervises practicum work for his fellow candidates.

The counseling and education curriculum here is based on the same science and practitioner model used in similar programs elsewhere, but what makes Maryland’s program unique is its intense focus on multiculturalism and social justice.

We teach students to honor and embrace diversity,” says Fassinger. CAPS’ focus on multiculturalism is deliberate and reflective of what students will face in their careers.

We model what we teach,” she adds. By doing so, she believes students are better prepared to serve underrepresented populations. “Students leave with the desire to address and advocate for social issues.”

Having the country’s no. 1 education program at Maryland has proven beneficial for the university and surrounding community. CAPS provides training and support services to Resident Life, Student Affairs, the Counseling Center and other units. Students can also take advantage of real-world learning opportunities in government agencies and local schools.

Kivlighan appreciates the attention that the U.S. News rankings bring, but he says their nine-year reign is incidental rather than intentional. “We didn’t get here because we were trying to get here,” he says. “We’re here because every single person in this department is committed to making a difference.”