A Path with Purpose

After 17 years at the helm, Scott Fletcher is retiring from his position as dean of the Graduate School of Education and Counseling. His steady, values-driven leadership has shaped a school where social justice guides both purpose and practice. With steady conviction and a deep belief in the power of education, Fletcher has championed faculty, staff, and students alike, helping expand the school’s reach far beyond campus.

One of the biggest early milestones of Fletcher’s tenure came in 2012 with the launch of the Community Counseling Center. Located off campus on Barbur Boulevard, the site has given counseling and therapy students hands-on training while offering supervised, low-cost services to the Portland community. As demand for mental health services has grown, so has the center—undergoing three renovations, the latest in 2023. Today, it serves more than 600 clients a year, over half of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. The space now includes more than 15 treatment rooms, an art therapy studio (a first for student practitioners), and cutting-edge telehealth tools that extend services statewide. In 2024, the center launched a transgender and nonbinary counseling program, expanding its reach again to meet the evolving needs of the community.

New programs launched with a focus on access and equity. A master’s and doctoral program in higher education student affairs opened doors for those rethinking who higher ed should serve. A part-time elementary teaching program and hybrid school psychology track made degrees more attainable for working professionals and rural educators. The acquisition of an art therapy program introduced an entirely new discipline to the already-thriving counseling department. The Teacher Pathways Program began linking undergrads interested in K-12 careers to the graduate school for mentorship and early field experience; it’s grown to 100+ students with its own Living-Learning Community. And with the addition of the TransActive Gender Project, the graduate school became a vital hub for supporting transgender and nonbinary youth across the region.

During Fletcher’s tenure, the graduate school campus experienced a notable transformation. An inviting new outdoor space—dubbed the Graduate Commons—now links key campus buildings and offers a sunny spot for studying, socializing, or holding class outside. In 2022, the historic Corbett House, long vacant, reopened for classroom use after a full renovation, and York Graduate Center got a major refresh with new classrooms, a commons area, and the Food for Thought Café. Parking expanded (for both bikes and cars), and upgrades like new HVAC and roofing made indoor spaces more comfortable year-round.

A major point of pride: the dramatic rise in scholarships for grad students. Two significant Oregon Health Authority grants brought $1.5 million in funding to counseling and therapy students in 2023 and 2024—many received full-tuition awards. Endowed scholarship support has also grown, as new donors recognize both the urgent need for mental health and education professionals and the innovative programs faculty have built to meet that need.

I feel deep appreciation for my colleagues across the institution. We’ve weathered some serious challenges and come out stronger. I will always treasure these relationships, and they are an invaluable part of what I will take from my experience here.”

—Scott Fletcher