From BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY
With growing demand for mental health counselors nationwide, Bowling Green State University is helping to meet the need through its fully accredited master’s degree program in clinical mental health counseling, addressing crucial workforce needs in Ohio and beyond.
“The state of Ohio and the nation as a whole continue to experience a counselor shortage across all environments, while at the same time, the need for proper counseling services continues to rise,” said Jared Rose, Ph.D., associate professor and program coordinator for the BGSU clinical mental health counseling and school counseling programs. “Now in our 77th year, our BGSU counseling programs continue to provide high-quality training to graduate counseling students to meet this crucial public need.”
With one of the highest first-time licensure exam pass rates in the country, the BGSU program draws students from across the nation, including Anthony Hunter, a certified music therapist who moved from Texas to Ohio to enroll in the program, valuing its strong reputation and student support.
“Bowling Green’s program in clinical mental health counseling has a proven track record in producing skilled professionals,” Hunter said. “It has one of the highest board exam pass rates in the country.”
While in graduate school, Hunter is working as an intern at OhioGuidestone, a comprehensive behavioral and mental health services organization in Toledo. He said the BGSU program has provided the foundation he needs to make a difference with the clients he sees.
“The program is really the perfect marriage, with the instruction, the assistantships that are available, and work in the field,” he said. “There is a real sense of camaraderie within the class, and I can say I have never felt more supported by a set of individuals in my pursuits as I do with the core faculty in counseling at BGSU. They have all been incredible.”
Before his career in mental health, Hunter worked in banking, then returned to school at age 30 to earn his first degree in music therapy. As he prepares to graduate from the BGSU clinical mental health counseling program, he plans to remain in northwest Ohio to serve the community.
“It is the most fulfilling thing in the world when you help someone and they tell you how well they are doing,” he said. “Knowing you made that difference is extremely rewarding.”
Posted by: Lindsay Jo Durham on February 15, 2026.
Last revised by: Jan Larson McLaughlin