ATLANTA – Mercer University College of Professional Advancement faculty member Dr. C. Peeper McDonald was named the 2022 recipient of the Gilbert and Kathleen Wrenn Award for a Humanitarian and Caring Person by the American Counseling Association.

The award, which will be presented during the ACA Conference and Expo April 7-9 in Atlanta, honors one ACA member per year who was nominated for giving to others without fanfare or expectation of reward other than the personal satisfaction of seeing other people made happier. It includes a $1,000 honorarium and complimentary conference registration.

“It is very appropriate for Dr. McDonald to be recognized in this way,” said Dr. Priscilla Danheiser, dean of the College of Professional Advancement. “She meets the criteria for this award every day through her caring and effective teaching and mentorship of students in our counseling programs and through her leadership in professional counseling organizations and within the community.”

Dr. McDonald serves as assistant professor of counseling. Her research interests include professional identity, social justice and advocacy issues, and multicultural issues in counseling. She has presented and published on these topics, with specific focus on the racial mislabeling, racial color-blindness and discrimination, and identity development of multiracial individuals.

“I am extremely honored and especially grateful to the Association of Assessment and Research in Counseling that nominated me for this award. To even be considered a ‘kind and caring’ person within a field that is known for its compassion and dedication to advocacy is truly a humbling experience,” said Dr. McDonald. “Since we are integrally connected to each other in community, the various spheres in which we work and do life, I believe this award represents the communities that have allowed me the privilege to be a part. It is for this that I am most grateful.”

Dr. McDonald earned her B.A. from Agnes Scott College and her M.S., Ed.S. and Ph.D. from Georgia State University, and is a National Certified Counselor Licensed Professional in the state of Georgia and an Approved Clinical Supervisor.

ACA is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, it is the world’s largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings.

About the College of Professional Advancement

Mercer University’s College of Professional Advancement is committed to serving post-traditional learners. Undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs are offered to adult learners seeking professional advancement into leadership roles in and beyond their communities. Programs provide students with distinctive, multidisciplinary experiences that integrate theory and practice. In addition to providing general education and elective courses for various colleges and schools at Mercer, the College of Professional Advancement offers degree programs in areas including technology, public safety, public and human services, leadership and administration, health care and liberal arts. Programs are offered on Mercer’s campuses in Atlanta and Macon, as well as Regional Academic Centers in Douglas County and Henry County, and online. To learn more, visit professionaladvancement.mercer.edu.