NDSU faculty member Robert Nielsen was named the “Outstanding Mental Health Counselor” for 2010 by the North Dakota Mental Health Counselor Association. The honor was presented at the North Dakota Counselor Association conference, held Feb. 6-9 in Bismarck, N.D.

“It was indeed an honor to be recognized by my peers in the counseling profession,” said Nielsen, clinical facilities coordinator and acting head of the School of Education. “I was especially humbled by the words at the presentation: ‘for his enthusiasm and phenomenal support of the counseling profession.’ 

Nielsen, who joined NDSU in 1973, is a national certified counselor, licensed professional counselor, licensed professional clinical counselor, and certified career development facilitator. He chaired the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners for seven years.

He earned his bachelor’s degree at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.; master’s degree in education, guidance and counseling from NDSU; and his doctorate in psychology, counseling and guidance from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley.

Nielsen is the immediate past president of the North Dakota Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, past president of the North Dakota Counseling Association, past vice president of the North Dakota School Counselors Association and past president of the North Dakota College Personnel Association. He is active in national positions having held leadership positions in the American Association of State Counseling Boards and the American Counseling Association.

Nielsen served six years as a school board member at Pelican Rapids, Minn.