CCAPS Early Career Achievement Award
James Kip Matthews, Ph.D.
2003 Recipient

Dr. Kip Matthews' 13-year involvement in college counseling centers began as a doctoral student at the University of Tennessee Student Counseling Services Center in 1990 and carried through to his internship year at the counseling center at the University of Maryland in 1992. His career as a counseling center psychologist began in 1993 where Kip was initially employed in the Counseling Center at Georgia State University. In 1997, Kip joined the staff at the Counseling and Testing Center at The University of Georgia. He went on to launch a group private practice in Athens just over a year ago. Throughout his career, Kip has made various and significant contributions to The University of Georgia and Georgia State University through research and service. In addition, Kip has made important and valuable contributions to service and leadership to CCAPS and ACPA. Based on his strong and wide-ranging contributions to counseling and psychological services, his leadership and service contributions to counseling centers and CCAPS, Kip is a worthy recipient of this award.

Kip has amassed an impressive array of significant activities and contributions as Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of the Student Success Center in the Counseling Center at Georgia State University. At the University of Georgia, Kip's areas of significant contributions were most notable in his roles of Coordinator of Career Services & Coordinator for Information Technology.

His service and contributions have also extended to ACPA and to the Commission for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCAPS). As a member of CCAPS, Kip has played an integral role in supporting and being actively involved in promoting the mission of CCAPS. Kip's service as an active Directorate Member and his tireless work to support the Commission, including redesigning our Commission logo, is deeply appreciated by those who have worked with him. Kip has served as a member in a number of Commission committees, including CCAPS Membership Committee and the Commission's Program Committee. Kip's contributions have been extremely important in the Commission's continuing commitment to recruit new members and to retain ongoing members as well as to provide cutting-edge programming to the Commission's members and to the Association. His recent program presented at the 2003 ACPA convention, "Seasons of a Counselor's Life: Career Development of Professional Staff in Counseling Centers," proved to be one of the most popular and successful programs for the Commission.

Kip's contributions, however, have not been limited to CCAPS. In 1998-99, he helped to coordinate the general programs for the entire convention. Kip worked extremely diligently and tirelessly to develop an innovative database for tracking program submissions and program scheduling. Kip's technological expertise was a significant contribution to the success of the 1999 Convention and also served as a launching pad for the future technological developments for subsequent ACPA conventions.

In sum, Kip Matthews' long-term work and tireless efforts are well-deserving of CCAPS' Early Career Achievement Award. His dedication and loyal service to providing quality counseling and psychological services at the University of Tennessee, University of Maryland, Georgia State University and The University of Georgia as well as his commitment and dedication to serving CCAPS and ACPA is unrivaled among his peers. He is a person of the highest integrity in the practice of his career and profession and has left an indelible mark on the positive well-being of students whom he has served. His vibrant spirit, professionalism and expertise is well-respected and acknowledged among his peers and colleagues and the positive impact that he leaves has wide-ranging beneficial effects for students.