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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tom Uribes April 7, 2003 (559) 278-5366 or 250-8459 NOTE: Dr. Charles Arokiasamy is available for interviews. Contact Tom Uribes at 250-8459. Featured in the Winter Edition of Fresno State Magazine Links of interest:
http://education.csufresno.edu/cser/rccoun.html
U.S. News & World Report’s 2004 rankings on “America’s Best Graduate Schools” released late Friday afternoon has placed the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at Fresno State among the top 20 in the country. The magazine ranks rehabilitation counseling programs every three years and the new ranking has the Fresno State program jumping from its previous rank of 27th in 2000. The Fresno State program was tied with seven other universities and beat out more prestigious rivals like Ohio State and University of Illinois. Dr. Paul Shaker, dean of the Kremen School of Education that houses the Rehabilitation Counseling Program, said, "the ranking is a validation of all that we are trying to do to offer the region an outstanding course of study in this vital field.” He said some of the reasons the program has gained this national attention include stature of the faculty and national awards won by students. "The program is being rewarded for demonstrating a clear sense of purpose and a humane, personal approach in its philosophy of rehabilitation," Shaker said. Fresno State’s ranking is significant in part because this accomplishment is in head to head competition with doctoral programs as well. “When compared with master’s degree programs, Fresno State is ranked 7th in the nation – a remarkable achievement,” Shaker said. According to Dr. Charles Arokiasamy, the program coordinator, the program was only 0.1 points away from being ranked 15th. “In 1999 the program established for itself the goal of simply getting ranked by the 2004,” Arokiasamy said. “We were surprised to come out 27th in 2000. Our new goal is to be ranked in the top 15 by 2006. This latest ranking put us on track to meeting that goal.” The only other California university ranked higher is San Diego State University which dropped two places to 12th in the nation. Of all the California universities that made the ranking, Fresno State handily beat out in-state rivals like San Francisco State University (42nd) and California State University, Los Angeles (58th). With an enrollment of 80 students, the program is one of the largest graduate programs on campus and one of the largest rehabilitation counseling programs in the country. It operates a vocational evaluation center that is one of the largest of its kind in the world and a job retention program that if fast becoming a model nationally, Arokiasamy said. Arokiasamy added that the program “enjoys an enviable rate” of 99% of its graduates being hired within three months of graduation. “There is a critical shortage of qualified rehabilitation counselors in the United States,” said Arokiasamy. “The program is expanding to a 120 student enrollment to meet this shortage. However, our focus is not just in numbers but in quality. The vision of the program is to change the face of human service and only way to do that is with quality personnel. In the high tech world of online education we have carved ourselves a niche as the national leader in hands-on, real-world rehabilitation counseling. “ Fresno State offers a masters of science in rehabilitation counseling, a 60-unit program that prepares students for professions in agencies or private settings assisting individuals who are physically, mentally or emotionally disabled to adjust personally, occupationally and socially. The program attracts students from all over the world, Arokiasamy said. Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of settings such as the California Department Of Rehabilitation, Worker's Compensation offices, California Regional Centers and the Veteran's Administration as well as universities and colleges, group homes, job placement agencies, hospitals, school systems and evaluation centers. The program will celebrate its national ranking and its 33rd anniversary at a banquet at Fort Washington Country Club on April 25 preceded by a professional workshop on Licensure and Ethics. For details, call (559) 278-0325. Rehabilitation Counseling (Master's/Doctorate) U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT (New! Ranked in 2003) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/hea/premium/reh.php#year>* Rank/School Average assessment score (5 = highest) 1. Michigan State University 4.3 2. University of Wisconsin--Madison 4.2 3. Southern Illinois University--Carbondale 4.0 4. University of Iowa 4.0 5. (Tied with following) Boston University 3.8 5. George Washington University (DC) 3.8 5. Illinois Institute of Technology 3.8 5. Penn State University--University Park 3.8 9. University of Florida 3.6 9. University of Maryland--College Park 3.6 9. University of Wisconsin--Stout 3.6 12. San Diego State University 3.5 12. University of Arizona 3.5 14. Louisiana State Univ. Health Sciences Center--New Orleans 3.4 15. East Carolina University (NC) 3.3 15. Syracuse University (NY) 3.3 15. University of Arkansas--Fayetteville 3.3 15. University of Texas--Austin 3.3 15. Utah State University 3.3 20. Auburn University--Main Campus (AL) 3.2 20. California State University--Fresno 3.2 20. Emporia State University (KS) 3.2 20. Florida State University 3.2 20. Portland State University (OR) 3.2 20. University of North Texas 3.2 20. Virginia Commonwealth University 3.2 27. Ohio State University 3.1 27. University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign 3.1 27. University of Northern Colorado 3.1 30. Kent State University (OH) 3.0 30. Mississippi State University 3.0 30. University at Buffalo (NY) 3.0 30. University of Kentucky 3.0 30. Wright State University (OH) 3.0 35. Assumption College (MA) 2.9 35. New York University 2.9 35. University of South Florida 2.9 35. West Virginia University 2.9 39. Springfield College (MA) 2.8 39. University of Memphis 2.8 39. University of Texas--Pan American 2.8 42. Arkansas State University 2.7 42. Bowling Green State University (OH) 2.7 42. Hofstra University (NY) 2.7 42. San Francisco State University 2.7 42. Stephen F. Austin State University (TX) 2.7 42. University of Scranton (PA) 2.7 48. Drake University (IA) 2.6 48. Georgia State University 2.6 48. Northern Illinois University 2.6 48. Ohio University 2.6 48. University of Alabama--Birmingham 2.6
58. California State University--Los Angeles 2.5 58. Northeastern University (MA) 2.5 58. Southern University (LA) 2.5
EDITORS and NEWS/PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORS: Press releases can be downloaded at www.fresnostatenews.com. University Relations also provides releases for news media companies via e-mail. To be added to the distribution list, send your e-mail address to tomu@csufresno.edu.
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