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University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) graduate student Brooke Parker earned first place in the recent leadership essay contest of Chi Sigma Iota, an international counseling honor society.  

Parker, a native of Canton, Georgia, wrote about how the Counseling Compact allows licensure portability between states that have joined the agreement. She examined the ethical and cultural considerations of the compact. Thanks to the award, Parker also received a scholarship and was able to attend the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"I'm very honored, and I hope that when people read the article, they learn something from it or they consider things they previously haven't," Parker said. "It's exciting that my thoughts are out there. People get to read them and have their own opinions, and that can spark conversations."

Parker is in the third year of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Master of Science in counseling program on the clinical mental health counseling track and her second year as a mental health graduate assistant supporting student-athletes at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. A former student-athlete herself, Parker served as the president of the Mississippi State University Swim Club in her undergraduate days.