When Beyonce Pierce and Domenique Bourne began their graduate school search, they were looking for more than the next step after earning their bachelor’s degrees.
They were searching for a place where they could grow as counselors, build relationships and prepare to serve people whose lives have been shaped by trauma, mental illness and limited access to care.
For both, that search led from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, to Heidelberg.
Beyonce and Domenique are the first two W&J graduates to enroll in Heidelberg’s Master of Arts in Counseling program through a new partnership between the two institutions. The partnership creates a direct pathway from undergraduate psychology study at W&J to graduate preparation at Heidelberg.
Established in November 2025, the partnership provides early-applicant benefits for W&J students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a closely related field.
As part of the agreement, Heidelberg reserves three seats annually in its MAC cohort for W&J students who apply early, giving them priority consideration for admission.
For Domenique and Beyonce, that pathway helped turn an unfamiliar graduate-school search into an opportunity that felt surprisingly familiar.
“Heidelberg is home away from home,” Beyonce said. “The relationships you built at W&J will continue to thrive through the people and experiences you encounter at Heidelberg.”
Connection between campuses
The partnership brings together two institutions with a similar emphasis on close-knit communities and personal connections between students and faculty.
For Domenique, that familiarity was important. She first learned about Heidelberg when W&J faculty members asked about her plans for graduate school. She was considering leaving Pennsylvania for graduate school when a conversation with W&J faculty introduced her to Heidelberg’s MAC program. She received information about the program and later spoke by phone with Dr. Meagan McBride, director of Heidelberg’s MAC program.
That phone call changed her perspective. “I knew after that phone call that I wanted to go to Heidelberg,” she said.
The partnership also gave Domenique an opportunity to learn about Heidelberg in a more personal way. Meagan visited W&J to talk with students about the program and answer their questions.
“Heidelberg and their faculty seemed incredibly personable and supportive, and I wanted to be a part of that environment,” Domenique said.
Beyonce’s path to Heidelberg began with conversations about her academic interests and future career. As she discussed her interest in clinical mental health counseling and trauma with her W&J advisor, Heidelberg’s MAC program emerged.
That initial connection has grown into an experience she describes as “incredible.”
“Attending W&J (with its campus similar to Heidelberg) prepared me for what to expect when I arrived,” Beyonce said. “The people on campus have made this transition smooth as well.”
More than a pathway
The partnership that helped open the door reinforced the students’ decision.
Domenique shared that one of the biggest draws was the structure of the MAC program and its Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded Behavioral Health Workforce grant.
The program provides specialized training in telehealth and Integrated Trauma-Informed Therapy. Students also receive a $25,000 stipend through the HRSA-funded program, which offsets the financial challenges that can accompany unpaid clinical experiences.
The program’s hands-on approach also has been a major plus.
At Heidelberg, Domenique said, students don't simply learn about counseling through lectures and discussions. They practice it.
“We do group exercises in class and mock counseling sessions with a partner,” she said. “I learn best in very hands-on environments so this is a big plus for me.”
That preparation is especially impactful given Domenique’s career goals. She plans to pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor and eventually a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, with a goal of working with marginalized and underserved populations in forensic counseling.
Beyonce likewise sees Heidelberg’s MAC program as a foundation for a career focused on trauma counseling. Her goal is to become an independent counselor working in the forensic psychology field, particularly with mothers and children experiencing generational trauma.
“The MAC program at Heidelberg gives me the opportunity to explore a diverse range of how counselors impact the community as a whole, as well as the opportunity to learn from professors who specialize in trauma,” she said.
Finding home in a new place
Moving to graduate school brings change. For Domenique, it meant moving away from home, living in an apartment for the first time and adjusting to life beyond the W&J campus.
One of the biggest uncertainties for Beyonce was whether she would find the same kind of supportive relationships she had built at W&J. Spoiler alert: She did.
Already, both have found a sense of belonging at Heidelberg.
Domenique said Heidelberg’s similarities to W&J made the transition easier. The class structures felt familiar, while the smaller MAC cohort allowed her to build relationships quickly.
“My cohort really allows for you to get to know your peers and professors on a deeper level,” she said.
She also credits Meagan, her academic advisor, with helping her find her footing in a new community.
“She told me all the places to visit in town and she even helped me when my car broke down in town,” Domenique said. “I have never had such a personable and caring advisor before.”
Beyonce has found a similar sense of connection, both in the classroom and through her work as a graduate assistant with Heidelberg’s volleyball team.
“I have been able to find people I trust in my role as a GA and in my role as a graduate student,” she said.
A partnership with a future in mind
As Beyonce and Domenique look ahead to clinical experiences and their future careers, both are discovering new dimensions of themselves.
Beyonce hopes to leave Heidelberg with “a better sense of who I am as a person.”
Domenique hopes to become a well-rounded, empathetic counselor while building professional relationships that will support her throughout her career.
“I am learning things that will be used daily in my future career and I feel supported by the faculty and my peers,” she said. “I have been able to find the beauty in the small things and they bring me immense joy.”
The moment Domenique knew she had made the right choice came during orientation. Sitting in a room with her new MAC professors and classmates, she felt an unexpected sense of calm.
“The professors were very informative about the program, and genuinely seemed interested in every single student,” she said. “I felt at home just like I did at W&J.”
Ultimately, both are thriving inside and outside the classroom as they experience something familiar through a new lens.