UNC School of Education

Associate Professor of School Counseling

Coordinator of School Counseling Program

T 919.843.4758
F 919.962.1533
pta@unc.edu

105E Peabody Hall
CB 3500

Patrick Akos is an associate professor in the School Counseling Program in the Human Development and Psychological Studies Area of the School of Education. The son of a high school mathematics teacher, Akos initially trained as a teacher and subsequently worked as an elementary school, middle school and college counselor. He is a certified middle and high school teacher and K-12 school counselor in North Carolina, a Licensed Professional Counselor in North Carolina and a National Certified Counselor and School Counselor and Approved Clinical Supervisor (NBCC).

Akos was recognized in 2004 as the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) Counselor Educator of the Year. He is one of five members nationally selected to revise the 2009 standards for accreditation of counselor education programs (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or CACREP) and is a fellow at the Institute for Arts and Humanities (Academic Leadership Program) at UNC-Chapel Hill. A former college student-athlete, Akos continues to foster this interest as an invited member of the Academic-Athletic Support Program Advisory Committee for athletics at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Akos believes that counseling is an educational process about one's self; an empowering process that can promote agency. He finds promoting strengths and diverse strengths-based school environments a scientific challenge that requires creativity, a tolerance for ambiguity, and a perpetual sense of curiosity. He strives to cultivate the same curiosity, industry and optimism in pre-service school counselors that he applies to his own research.

• Ph.D. 2000 - University of Virginia
• M.A. 1995 - Morehead State University
• B.S. 1993 - Vanderbilt University

• School Transitions
• Middle School
• Strengths-Based School Counseling
• Research Overview

• Introduction to Strengths-Based School Counseling
• Promoting Career Development
• School Counseling Clinical Course Work

• 2009, Robert O. Stripling Award for Excellence in Standards, Drs. Akos, Bruce, Daniels, Davis, Gressard, Lipford-Sanders (Standards Revision Committee), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
• 2009, Selected Fellow, Academic Leadership Program, Institute for the Arts and Humanities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 2004, Counselor Educator of the Year, American School Counselor Association
• 2003, Counselor Educator of the Year, North Carolina School Counselor Association

• 2008-2009, Web-Based Wellness Policy Toolkit for Obesity Prevention in Middle Schools, Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR), National Institutes for Health, $133,130 ($53,833 for UNC as a subcontract), Dr. Alice Ammerman (Principal Investigator), Dr. Patrick Akos (Co-Principal Investigator), et al.
• 2006-2007, School Nutrition Standards Policy Implementation: Economic Impact and the Role of Key Stakeholders, R. J. Reynolds Foundation, $100,000, United States Department of Agriculture, $115,000, Dr. Alice Ammerman (Principal Investigator), Dr. Patrick Akos (Investigator), et al.
• 2004-2008, CareerStart: A School and Career Engagement Strategy for Lifting Children from Poverty, United States Department of Justice, $250,000 Dr. Dennis K. Orthner (Principal Investigator), Dr. Patrick Akos (Co-Principal Investigator).

• Associate Scholar, Jordan Institute for Families, School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH)
• Mentor Faculty, Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH)
• 2007-2009, Editorial Board, The Career Development Quarterly, Dr. Jerry Trusty, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA.
• 2007-present, Carolina Engagement Council, Office of Public Service and Engagement, UNC-CH, invited member to advise the Vice Chancellor for Public Service and Engagement.
• 2004-2008, Standards Revision Committee, Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), one of five members nationally to revise the existing accreditation standards for counselor education programs.
• 2002-2009, Committee member,
  2009, Chair, the Academic Athletic Support Program Advisory Committee to advise the academic support program for athletics at UNC-Chapel Hill.

• 2008, Selected committee member, National Middle School Association Program
  
• 2008, Review Board, review board for middle level teacher preparation programs utilizing the NMSA/NCATE-Approved Teacher Preparation Standards.
• 2007-2010, Project SUCCESS (Schools, Universities, Communities: Counseling for Educational SuccesS), Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, U.S. Department of Education, $1,115,933, Mr. Eric Sparks (Project Director) and Wake County Public School System, Dr. Patrick Akos (Transition Training Coordinator), et al. 
• 2007-2008, Strategic Planning Committee, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, NC, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Education representative on district strategic planning team.
• 2003-2005, Conexion, Latino Bilingual Tutoring Program, APPLES Service Learning Course, Selected middle schools in Durham, Chapel Hill, Orange, and Chatham counties (NC), Service Coordinator and Co-Instructor.

Sink, C., Akos, P., Turnbull, R., & Mvududu, N. (2008). An investigation of comprehensive school counseling programs and academic achievement in Washington state middle schools. Professional School Counseling, 12(1), 43-53.

Akos, P., & Ellis, C. (2008). Racial identity development in middle school: A case for school counselor individual and systematic intervention. Journal of Counseling and Development, 86(1), 26-33.

Akos, P., Lambie, G., Milsom, A., & Gilbert, K. (2007). Early adolescents’ aspirations and academic tracking: An exploratory investigation. Professional School Counseling, 11(1), 57-64.

Galassi, J., & Akos, P. (2007). Strengths-Based School Counseling: Promoting Student Development and Achievement. Mahwah, MJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Akos, P., Hamm, J., Mack, S., & Dunaway, M. (2007). Utilizing the developmental influence of peers in middle school groups. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(1), 51-60.

Akos, P. (2005). The unique nature of middle school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 9(2), 95-103.

Akos, P., Lineberry, C., & Queen, J. (2005). Promoting a successful transition to middle school. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Akos, P., & Augst, K. (March, 2009). “Early Transitions for Vulnerable Children: Helping Elementary Students and Families C.O.P.E.” American Counseling Association, Charlotte, NC.

Akos, P. (December, 2008). “Strengths-Based School Counseling: Empowering Students and Schools” Michigan School Counselor Association Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI.

Akos, P., Schuldt, H., Walendin, M. (July, 2008). “Why School Counselor Assignment Matters.” American School Counselor Association, Atlanta, GA.

Sparks, H.E., Johnson, J.L., Akos, P. (March, 2008). “Ninth Grade Dropout Risk Factors and Information for Identifying Effective Practices.” American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.

Akos, P., Bruce, M., Daniels, H., Davis, T., Gressard, R., & Lipford-Sanders, J. (October, 2007). “Standards Revision Update and Feedback Session: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).” Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, Columbus, OH.

Akos, P., & Bolton, C. (April, 2007). “School Transition Programming: Promoting Student Success.” Principals Executive Program, Center for School Leadership Development, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Akos, P. (April, 2005). Parent Perceptions of Curriculum Placement in the Transition to Middle School.” American Counseling Association, Atlanta, GA.