Kelly G. Kearns (she/her) – Marcellus, New York

As the Dr. Nicholas Vacc scholarship recipient, Kelly Green Kearns will receive $5,000 to support her counseling education and recognize her commitment to the counseling profession. Kelly is a graduate of SUNY Oswego where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She is currently a doctoral student in the counselor education and supervision program at Syracuse University.

She is focusing her research on people's interactions with food as it relates to their overall wellness. She intends to focus initially on college women in her research and then expand to international students and refugees. She is currently a graduate assistant at Syracuse University and is conducting research with a team on mindful eating and yoga with preschoolers. This scholarship will help support her education while she conducts research and balances caring for her family as opposed to spending time working another job. This program will also help her to get involved with professional organizations and receive further training to competently conduct research that furthers the profession of counseling.