REDDING, Calif.—Despite facing their own losses in this year’s Carr and Camp fires, students in Simpson University’s Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program didn’t hesitate to say yes to a request to “adopt” a family in need for Christmas.
The MACP program has adopted families through Northern Valley Catholic Social Service’s “Adopt-A-Family” program since 2010. They had not decided to participate this year due to the many requests for contributions to help people impacted by the region’s devastating wildfires.
“One of our adjunct faculty members lost her home in the Carr Fire, and a student had 16 family members lose their homes in the Camp Fire,” said Dr. Adeline Jackson, dean of the university’s School of Adult and Graduate Professional Studies. “All of our students have felt the impact in one way or another.”
But Sara Hurn, a 2018 graduate of the MACP program, contacted Dr. Jackson in early December to see if the current class would be willing to “adopt” a family of five kids, ranging in age from 20 months to 18 years, and their single mother.
“We knew we needed to help them,” Dr. Jackson said. The family worked with Hurn to create a wish list that included clothing and other necessities, and MACP students jumped in to help meet those needs.
Hurn is a registered associate marriage and family therapist working at Kingsview School in Redding. She is completing clinical practice hours required to become a licensed marriage and family therapist.
After class on Dec. 12, the MACP students met with Hurn for a potluck dinner and to give her their gifts.
“The generosity from the students blew me away,” Hurn said. “I’m so excited for this sweet family and what these gifts will mean to them this Christmas.”
Simpson University Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology students (pictured) continued the program’s tradition of “adopting” a family for Christmas through Northern Valley Catholic Social Service.
Simpson University’s two-year MACP program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to prepare students for California licensure as a marriage and family therapist. Classes meet two nights a week for seven weeks each. The program has been training North State adults for eight years; graduates are working in a variety of social service agencies, county mental health, private practice, and schools and churches.
Learn more at simpsonu.edu/macp.
Top photo: From left, organizers of the Simpson University MACP “Adopt-A-Family” giveaway: Gloria Richmond, Nicole Schumacher, Crystal Johnson, Amanda Laughlin, and Jung Chay.
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Simpson University, established in 1921, is a Christian university offering undergraduate, graduate, and teaching credential programs. The university will celebrate its centennial in 2021. Simpson was named as one of the 2018 Colleges of Distinction. Academic programs include ASPIRE, a degree-completion program geared toward working adults with both on-campus and online course offerings; the Betty M. Dean School of Nursing, A.W. Tozer Seminary, the School of Education, and the School of Graduate Professional Studies. For information about the university, or to arrange a campus visit, call 1-888-9-SIMPSON or visit simpsonu.edu.
