Perkinston Campus Counselor

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College; Ten Mile (MS); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College seeks a Perkinston Campus Counselor to lead wellness and mental health services for enrolled students, including personal counseling, crisis response, and proactive programming to aid retention.

The ideal candidate balances ethics with student needs, adheres to FERPA and professional ethics codes, and develops outreach to diverse student populations. Evening/weekend availability may be required, with a focus on campus well-being.

Qualifications

• Active credentials as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and National Certified Counselor (NBCC).
• Master’s degree in Counseling or related field from CACREP/CSWE-accredited program.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual counseling for students and coordinate wellness and mental health programs.
• Deliver crisis response and proactive programming to support student retention.
• Maintain confidential records of sessions and interventions.
• Collaborate with campus partners to promote mental health resources and reduce stigma.
• Coordinate life skills seminars and workshops for students.

Skills

LPC credential

NBCC credential

Communication skills

MS Office

Education

CACREP/CSWE accredited degree

Tools

Outlook

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

PERS and Work Visa Notice

The Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) is mandatory for all full-time employees. PERS contributions also apply to part-time employees who are already contributing to PERS through another full-time employer.

Full-time employees who have never contributed to PERS and begin a full-time position after March 1, 2026, will automatically be placed in Tier 5. Employees who previously requested a refund from PERS after leaving covered employment will also automatically be placed in Tier 5.

Additional information about PERS Tier 5 is available at https://www.pers.ms.gov/Tier5.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The College does not sponsor applicants for work visas, including but not limited to H-1B visas.

Position Information

Job Title

Job Title Perkinston Campus Counselor

Position Number

Position Number 299420

Job Description

The Perkinston/George County Center Campus Counselor works in the Division of Student Services and reports directly to the Dean of Student Services and Enrollment Management. The incumbent is responsible for leading the facilitation of Wellness and Mental Health Services to currently enrolled students and for providing proactive programming, personal counseling, crises response, and other mental health services to students to aid in retention. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to balance institutional traditions, ethical and best practices for mental health interventions, academic integrity, and relevant trends with the individual needs of the students; understand the responsibility to act in accordance with guidelines set by the Family Education Right to Privacy Act ( FERPA ). Abide by the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics ( ACA ), and National Board for Certified Counselors ( NBCC ) Code of Ethics, relative to education and credentials.

We are seeking an approachable, down-to-earth, and culturally competent counselor to implement creative programming, group workshops, individual counseling, crisis intervention, etc. in efforts to support our students in navigating the ups and downs of college life. This position will be expected to build meaningful, relatable connections with students from a variety of backgrounds and will execute outreach programming that makes mental health resources more visible, accessible, and stigma-free.

The Perkinston/George County Center Campus Counselor will be required to keep a work schedule that best meets the needs of a residential campus and local center, including after hours, weekends, and emergency response as needed.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following abilities:

• To balance ethical and best practices for mental health interventions, academic integrity, institutional values, relevant trends, and the individual needs of students.
• To understand and uphold the responsibility to act in accordance with guidelines set by the Family Education Right to Privacy Act ( FERPA ), the Mississippi LPC statutes enforced by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors, and the American Counseling Association ( ACA ) Code of Ethics, and the National Board for Certified Counselors ( NBCC ) Code of Ethics, relative to education and credentials.
• To work effectively with a diverse group of administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
• To understand how to build trust and rapport with students who might be new to counseling- or hesitant to ask for help.
• To be approachable, calm in a crisis, and flexible to navigate nuanced conversations around identity, race, gender, mental health, and intersectionality.
• Awareness of relative social trends and social media platforms.

Job Duties

• 1. Provide a culture of care and belonging that is available to all students and fosters a healthy supportive campus environment.
• 2. Provide individual counseling for students at the Perkinston Campus and the George County Center.
• 3. Receive and respond to referrals by students, faculty, staff, and conduct administrators.
• 4. Make referrals to and collaborate with outside agencies and services as appropriate.
• 5. Plan and implement proactive mental health, wellness, and life skills programming in residence halls- including presentations, group sessions, and panels; collaborate closely with housing staff and RAs/RHAs.
• 6. Partner with residence and student life staff to support community building and conflict resolution in residence halls.
• 7. Plan and implement communication plan related to mental wellness for residential and commuter students.
• 8. Work closely with residence and student life to create graphics promoting belonging, connectedness, and access to campus resources.
• 9. Facilitate group counseling opportunities for groups and student populations as warranted, with topics and scheduling tailored to each group.
• 10. Provide employee development programming ( EDP ) for faculty, staff, and administration on topics related to mental health, crisis response, and more.
• 11. Facilitate retention efforts using data from Early Alert reports and Ed Sights reports.
• 12. Collaborate with Student Activities and other departments to provide ongoing awareness of mental health and wellness on campus, via events, social media, etc.
• 13. Implement a campaign for Suicide Awareness and Prevention.
• 14. Follow counseling best practices and evidence-based interventions for student mental health concerns including self-harm and danger to others.
• 15. Maintain confidential recordkeeping of mental health sessions and interventions.
• 16. Provide time limited substance abuse education to students who are indicated based on substance testing results.
• 17. Maintain a directory of community resources and refer students as appropriate.
• 18. Work with conduct administrators for strategies to prevent or reduce student misconduct.
• 19. Coordinate life skills seminars and/or panel events for students to learn and ask questions about stress management, financial literacy, time management, job interviews, coping mechanisms, and other topics as needs emerge.
• 20. Participate in college events to increase awareness of available campus resources, through Health Fairs, Orientations, parent sessions, and more.
• 21. Maintain State licensure and National Board credentials by obtaining required yearly continuing education units and liability insurance.
• 22. Keep a flexible work schedule that best meets the needs of a residential campus, including after hours and emergency response as needed.
• 23. Serve as an active member of appropriate campus and college committees as appointed.
• 24. Be familiar with and abide by MGCCC Policies and Procedures.
• 25. Upgrade skill level and performance through employee development.
• 26. Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean of Student Services and Enrollment Management.

Mandatory Qualifications

• (M1) Active credentials as a Licensed Professional Counselor ( LPC ), Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (P- LPC ). Must provide official documentation of credentials.
• (M2) Active credentials as a National Certified Counselor ( NBCC ). Must provide official documentation of credentials.
• (M3) Master’s degree in Counseling, Psychology, or a related major, from a CACREP -accredited or CSWE -accredited degree program. Must provide official transcripts.
• (M4) Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.
• (M5) Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Outlook.

Desirable Qualifications

• (D1) Professional experience in student services in a post-secondary institution.
• (D2) Post-graduate study in a related field, beyond Master’s degree work.
• (D3) Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC- TMH ) credential.
• (D4) Experience working with residential students and programming relative to campus trends.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes students and employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, or qualified disability in its programs and activities. For further information, contact the Compliance Officer P.O. Box 609, Perkinston, Mississippi, 39573, telephone number 601-528-8735, email address [e-mail].

The College:

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College District serves a four-county area with three major campuses, the Community Campus and four centers including: Perkinston Campus, Perkinston, MS; Harrison County Campus, Gulfport, MS; Jackson County Campus, Gautier, MS. Additionally, The Bryant Center at Tradition, Biloxi, MS; Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center, Gulfport, MS; Haley Reeves Barbour Maritime Training Academy, Pascagoula, MS; Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, MS; Keesler Center, Biloxi, MS; The West Harrison Center, Long Beach, MS; and George County Center, Lucedale, MS. State and regional associations accredit Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and several programs are accredited nationally. Offerings include academic, technical degree, vocational skill and adult continuing education programs.

Classification

Classification Administration

Open Date

Open Date 10/14/2026

Close Date

Close Date 10/27/2026

Special Instructions to Applicants

PERS and Work Visa Notice:The Public Employees’ Retirement System ( PERS ) is mandatory for all full-time employees. PERS contributions also apply to part-time employees who are already contributing to PERS through another full-time employer. Full-time employees who have never contributed to PERS and begin a full-time position after March 1, 2026, will automatically be placed in Tier 5. Employees who previously requested a refund from PERS after leaving covered employment will also automatically be placed in Tier 5. Additional information about PERS Tier 5 is available at https://www.pers.ms.gov/Tier5. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The College does not sponsor applicants for work visas, including but not limited to H-1B visas.

For more information on the position, please contact (Name, Address, Phone, and Email): Dr. Chris Bagwell Dean of Student Services & Enrollment Management PO Box 548 Perkinston, MS 39573 601-928-6267 [e-mail]