Julie Hill Named Rehabilitation Counselor Educator of the Year

College of Education and Health Professions faculty member Julie Hill recently received the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association's prestigious Rehabilitation Counselor Educator of the Year Award.

Hill, an assistant professor in the college's Counselor Education and Supervision program, coordinates field placements for all counseling students. In her seventh year as a rehabilitation counselor educator, she continues to live by the quote "Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

"I have known I was meant to be a teacher since I was in preschool," Hill said. "The population I teach has changed over the years, but at my core, I am still a teacher. I have been lucky enough to have some amazing professors who have changed my life, and I look to them as an example to emulate."

Hill strives to cultivate a welcoming classroom atmosphere, empowering students to realize their full potential as skilled rehabilitation counselors. "This award affirms that the students and others recognize how much I care and how my passion for disability shows up in the classroom," she said.

A master's student who nominated Hill for the ARCA award emphasized that point. "She is deeply committed to growing the rehabilitation counseling profession and to engaging students with pressing issues facing the field today," the student wrote.

Another student nominator noted, "Dr. Hill creates an environment where learning feels both intellectually stimulating and supportive, which makes the information easier to retain and apply in our clinical work. Equally important is Dr. Hill's genuine care for her students."

In a video played at ARCA's annual conference during the Educator of the Year award announcement, Hill stated, "I love the teaching part of my job and getting to watch my students grow into their professional identity as rehabilitation counselors. I primarily teach in our rehabilitation counseling track, but I do teach other students. Something that I'm very proud of is that all students, when they leave my class, have a better understanding of disability, chronic illness, how that shows up in different areas of life, and how to be a better counselor for individuals from those backgrounds."

Hill's personal experience with chronic illness makes her coursework especially relevant for students. They also fuel her professional and volunteer work. Hill served on the ethics committee of the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification for several years and on the task force that revised the commission's code of ethics in 2023. She runs a local support group and moderates an online forum for people who have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She also conducts research on the connective tissue disorder, among other research topics. Hill recently began collaborating with Dr. Lauren Poindexter at Community Clinic to explore the use of platelet rich plasma injections in reducing pain in patients with EDS and other types of hypermobility, and how that reduction in pain impacts quality of life and mental health.

Hill's research expertise was mentioned in several award nomination letters, including one by a faculty member from San Diego State University. The letter stated that Hill's research offers practical guidance for counselor educators, including integrating disability representation into course content and preparing counselors-in-training to recognize and address barriers affecting disabled clients and professionals.

Another professional colleague from another state called Hill an innovative educator who continually seeks ways to enhance her students' learning experiences. "Her commitment to improving classroom accessibility and engagement is reflected in her creative teaching strategies, collaborative learning environments and dedication to meeting students where they are. She models the reflective practice and lifelong learning she encourages in her students, demonstrating that excellence in counseling is rooted in both knowledge and humility," the nominator wrote.

The colleague went on to note that Hill's mentorship has a lasting influence on the students she guides. "She invests deeply in their professional development, helping them navigate career pathways, research opportunities and the evolving counseling profession. Her guidance inspires students to pursue meaningful work in rehabilitation counseling and to approach their future roles with a strong sense of responsibility to the communities they serve," she wrote.