In October of 2000, Bushnell University received approval from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges to introduce a new graduate degree program: Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling. Advisory board members endorsing the creation of the program unanimously agreed that “there exists, and will continue to exist, the need for professional mental health counselors in Oregon, especially in the Eugene-Springfield area” stating that “no other institution in this area is currently training mental health counselors…with the breadth of preparation that this program intends to provide.” With this vision, the Mental Health Counseling program welcomed the first cohort in Fall 2002. Since inception, it has prepared nearly 1,000 graduates who have gone on to become licensed counselors in Oregon and other states.
In 2016, the program was accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) as a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, the highest recognition of excellence that a program can attain, and a designation that draws prospective students from across the country. The program expects to be re-accredited in 2026, just as it enters its 25th year of educating students. The success of the program is critical to meeting the ongoing demand for competent and compassionate mental health care professionals. Bushnell CHMC graduates, grounded in the values of wisdom, faith, and service, leave an indelible mark of care on the lives of their clients.
With a unique intensive and “hybrid” (both online and in-person) training model that supports adult learners, students complete supervised clinical internship experiences in the CMHC Clinic (on campus) and/or in community settings in the region. Both graduates and their employers appreciate the depth and breadth of training associated with the Bushnell CMHC degree, thus fulfilling the dream of the program’s original advisory board. Program graduate Corey Jackson, M.A. ’04, the Executive Director of Christians as Family Advocates (CAFA), recently expressed a level of gratitude that is shared by many: “Heartfelt thanks and appreciation for all you do in preparing excellent leaders of tomorrow. We love our Bushnell interns. They are the very best!”
Bushnell’s CMHC program and its graduates have a strong reputation in the community and neighboring regions across Oregon. Students working in the mental health field post-degree often have the opportunity to support counseling interns from other programs and report they have realized the clinical training they received at Bushnell was superior. Says Drenna Thompson, an August 2025 graduate, “The self-growth from this program is a rare gift that a degree doesn’t always guarantee.”
Because the CMHC master’s program is a hybrid one with robust in-person components, it encourages the learning that occurs through interaction with diverse peers and faculty. Students highly value the relationships they form and continue after graduation. As Thompson further states, “The most valuable part of this program, for me, was the other students. They are now my consultants, co-counselors, maybe one day co-authors and fellow researchers…most of all, they are my friends. We teach each other so much. In such an emotionally and spiritually demanding career, it is a blessing to have someone who understands what you’ve been going through while serving as a clinical mental health counselor.”
Marilyn Montgomery, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, BCC
Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
CMHC Director & Accreditation Lead
Dr. Marilyn Montgomery, CMHC Program Director, earned degrees from Abilene Christian University, University of Houston, and Texas Tech University. A licensed counselor and clinical supervisor for many years, she is widely published and helped to found scholarly societies and journals supporting developmental science. She has received several awards for her leadership in mentoring students.