Mississippi Counseling Association Names Jan Lemon to Key Post

Mississippi College counseling professor Jan Lemon

Starting in June 2019, Jan Lemon will serve as president-elect of the Mississippi Counseling Association.

It’s a noteworthy honor for the Mississippi College counseling professor. She’s on track to become the organization’s president beginning June 1, 2020.

A Florence resident, Dr. Lemon was elected to the leadership posts at the Mississippi Counseling Association’s Fall conference in Biloxi. Meeting November 7-9 at the Gulf Coast Convention Center, the group has over 1,000 members.

Founded in 1950, the MCA encourages personal and professional development among counselors. The group partners with the American Counseling Association. Counselors work at mental health agencies, schools, private practices, the military, rehabilitation centers, and elsewhere across the USA.

Mississippi College colleagues salute Lemon, a former Florence High senior counselor for 18 years before joining the Christian university faculty in August 2011.

“Jan Lemon is a true professional counselor and educator,” said Ron Howard, vice president for academic affairs. “Her work has touched the lives of literally thousands, and in the most positive ways. She has contributed so very much to the MC counseling program.”

Graduate School Dean Debbie Norris worked closely recently with Dr. Lemon on the university’s lengthy reaccreditation activities. “She tackled the report with passion, enthusiasm and determination. The result was just what you would expect – success!”

Norris believes these same attributes will benefit the Mississippi Counseling Association as Lemon moves into leadership roles.

On the Clinton campus, Jan Lemon served one year as chair of Mississippi College’s Psychology & Counseling Department, starting in July 2017. Jan earned her master’s at MC in counseling education in 1995 and a doctorate in the field at Mississippi State University in 2010.

In 2004, the Belhaven University graduate earned her doctorate in Christian counseling at Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary in Shreveport.

Peers have long recognized her career accomplishments. In 2015, Lemon was named the School of Education’s Distinguished Professor of the Year at Mississippi College. Lemon is a former president of the Mississippi School Counseling Association.

Moving up the ranks at the Mississippi Counseling Association is an honor and humbling experience, Lemon said. She seeks to improve counseling services and client outcomes among all Mississippi populations. “My hope is that our association will advance and unite counseling more broadly to insure growth and success for each clinician.”

Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Lemon filled in as a counselor at her son’s private school in Flowood and found her life’s calling.

Mississippi College programs include a doctorate in professional counseling and others for graduate students in Jackson’s Fondren district. MC offers a minor in Christian counseling.