BU’s Emily Cook Provides Award-Winning Care to Students

Bluefield University alumna Emily Cook, who now serves as BU’s director of counseling services, has been named Virginia Counselor Association (VCA) Counselor of the Year — the most prestigious honor given by the state counseling association.

“I was incredibly honored to even be considered for the award,” said Cook when asked how she felt after receiving the state honor.

A native of Hinton, WV, Cook graduated from Summers County High School in 2008. She then attended Bluefield University, where she was a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society. She graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with teacher licensure.

After BU, she worked at Graham High School, where she taught English. In 2015, she earned a Master of Education degree in school counseling from Liberty University before becoming Graham High School’s school counselor. She would eventually return to BU and serve as director of counseling and wellness where she has had an impact on many students. 

“She has helped me with my drug abuse and is the reason why I can continue to play sports at Bluefield,” said one BU student who has enjoyed Cook’s counseling. “Without her help, I probably would’ve dropped out of college due to the amount of stress I was under.”

Cook said she loves her work at Bluefield and how she can impact a student’s life by doing what she loves.

“I am honored to come alongside our students and help support them as they pursue academic goals and explore personal growth,” Cook said.

Students say Cook makes it easy to open up and because of her efforts they are happier.

“(She) has helped me greatly,” said Elizabeth Roberts, another BU student. “I went through something this year and without even thinking, Emily Cook noticed I was suffering and not only reached out but found other sources for me. So if I didn’t want to tell just her, there were other people off campus. I see her for multiple reasons, but no matter the mood, I walk into her office and I walk out with a smile. She is a blessing, and I can truly say she makes me happy here in Bluefield.”

And while Cook is obviously making a positive impact on students, the work is not always easy. She said the most difficult part of her job and assuring that every student who wants help gets it.

“The most challenging aspect is making sure that every student is supported due to the number of counselors/interns who provide services and the high number of students we have,” Cook said. “However, this should not deter students from reaching out because we are here to help.”

Cook said her goals for the future are to expand the Counseling Center so that students have more options for counseling.

“I am a 32-year-old white female from Appalachia; I know that I cannot be the right fit for every student on our campus,” Cook said. “Although I am still going to provide the best level of care I can for our students, I would love to expand our provider options to help support our student body.”