Andrews Receives Grant for Grad Psychology Program

From Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

The School of Graduate Psychology & Counseling is located in Bell Hall on the Andrews University campus. (Photo by Jeff Boyd)

A $350,000 grant has been awarded to Andrews University’s School of Graduate Psychology & Counseling by Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). According to Renette Portecop-Prentice, assistant professor and School Psychology Program coordinator at Andrews, these funds will be primarily used to establish an online version of the University's school psychology programming. A statement released by LEO shares that this investment will “increase the school psychologist workforce in Michigan, support students who are facing mental health challenges and help schools navigate available resources.” Portecop-Prentice adds, “Students will benefit significantly from increased faculty support and resources.”

Portecop-Prentice submitted the grant application in March 2025 with assistance from Carlisle Sutton, sponsored research officer. Portecop-Prentice and Carole Woolford-Hunt, chair of the School of Graduate Psychology & Counseling, express that they were pleasantly surprised when LEO officially announced in July that Andrews University was one of the grant winners. “We were up against big universities,” says Woolford-Hunt. “I don’t know if there were any schools smaller than us who applied. We were literally the ‘David’ in this whole situation, and when the grants were announced, we were one of only two programs who were awarded.”

The second grant award went to Western Michigan University, which will be launching its school psychologist training program for the first time. Andrews will use the funds to build on its preexisting, in-person program. The $350,000 will be spent on supplies, faculty, staff, recruiting and marketing within the guidelines LEO set for the grant.

The program will begin taking applications for online students in spring 2026 and will conduct its first semester of online classes the following fall. Although all students are invited to be a part of the online program, Michigan residents are encouraged to apply, with the goal of growing the state’s school psychologist workforce.

Portecop-Prentice shares that the National Association of School Psychologists recommends that schools have a ratio of about 500 students to one school psychologist. “Michigan is at approximately 1,350 to one,” she says. “So we’ve definitely had a shortage. It’s been improving in recent years, but there are just not enough of us to go around.” Grant programs and initiatives, like the one Andrews and Western Michigan are a part of, are working to increase the number of qualified school psychologists available within the state.

The School of Graduate Psychology & Counseling offers quality education and training for its students. Portecop-Prentice notes that evaluations from surveys sent to the employers of recent graduates “have consistently been strong and above average.” She adds that another factor in the grant award may have been Andrews’ ongoing contributions to neighboring school districts in Michigan, including the work of many alumni.

Ultimately, Portecop-Prentice and Woolford-Hunt share the sentiment that God is continuing to bless the work of the School of Graduate Psychology & Counseling. “We know it’s nothing but God,” says Woolford-Hunt.

To learn more about Andrews’ School of Graduate Psychology & Counseling and the school psychology program, please visit the program’s webpage.