Belinda McCharen
 

Dr. Belinda McCharen is currently serving as the Francis Tuttle Endowed Chair for Occupational Education Studies at Oklahoma State University. In her current capacity her role is teaching, researching and grant writing in the field of career and technical education, career development and workforce education.  Belinda is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Master Career Counselor (MCC).

She was formerly the associate state director for Career and Support Services at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education from 1998-2007.  In her capacity as Associate State Director, she directed efforts in Research, Tech Prep, career academies, High Schools That Work and Technology Centers That Work, career guidance, academic integration, Career Resources Network, Carl Perkins Act and dual credit in career and technology education.

Belinda continues as a member of the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development, Workforce Solutions Staff Committee and is working on aligning career ladders and lattices to clusters and industry sectors.   She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her contributions to career and technical education, most notably the Outstanding Educator awarded by the Association for Career and Technical Education, the national organization for career and technology educators, the President’s Award from the Oklahoma Association for Minorities in Career and Technical Education and the Arch Alexander Award for outstanding career contributions to Oklahoma career and technology education.

Belinda served as a contributor to Discovering Your Career, Jordan, A and Whaley, L, Thomson, 2003.  She was a chapter author of “High School Students in Transition,” Career Counseling Models for Diverse Populations: Hands on Applications for Practitioners, Petersen, N, and Gonzalez R, Wadsworth/Brooks Cole, 2000. She also authored a chapter, “Guidance and Counseling: An Essential Component for Effective Integration,” Education Through Occupations in American High Schools, Volume 2, Grubb, N, Teachers College Press, 1995.

Her research interests include female success in Pre-Engineering, career development, the role of career and technology education in motivating students to pursue higher education and integration of academics in career and technology education.

Send mail to gbenson@bensoneducation.com with questions or comments about this web site