Graduate higher education has done little to assess and understand graduate students’ needs and experiences beyond the classroom. Therefore, we conducted a phenomenological study using multiple data collection tools, including survey and focus groups from two different time periods to implement a multiphase needs assessment. The goal of the evaluation was to better understand graduate students’ overall needs and experiences related to professional development at a public Carnegie classified Doctoral Research University in the Rocky Mountain Region. Results revealed the following themes: perceptions of professional development in graduate school, finding balance is never ending, experiences of personal and professional barriers, and the importance of faculty and peer relationships. Discussion, implications, limitations, and a conclusion are provided.

We conducted a qualitative content analysis on counseling dissertations (N = 250) completed between 2017 and 2018. Identified categories included (a) paradigms, philosophies of science, and theories; (b) research methodologies; and (c) trustworthiness. The results indicated an infrequent use of paradigmatic frameworks and a distinct pattern of trustworthiness strategies.

This descriptive, intrinsic case study explored a transformative leadership professional development opportunity designed for school counselors in a large, urban school district. Interviews with 19 participating school counselors provided increased understanding of school counselors' beliefs, skills, and agency regarding leadership and comprehensive school counseling program implementation. We discuss the results to support school counselor leadership development and implications for school counselors striving for educational equity.

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Principals have power to delegate job responsibilities to school counselors, and this may impact principal–school counselor relationship quality. In a study grounded in leader–member exchange theory, we surveyed 167 school counselors about the relationship between their job roles, gender, and years of experience and the quality of their principal–school counselor relationship. Results indicated that relationship quality was positively related to curriculum activity and consultation activity and negatively related to other activity and gender. We discuss implications for school counseling practice and research.