Staff & History

The clinic is associated with the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota. It is directed by Samantha Anders, Ph.D., L.P. All counselors are graduate students in psychology and have received training in vocational counseling and assessment. Counselors are under the supervision of Dr. Anders.

Formerly known as the Vocational Assessment Clinic, the Career Counseling and Assessment Clinic was started by Dr. Rene Dawis and Dr. David Weiss in the 1970s.  Dr. Jo-Ida Hansen ran the clinic for many years beginning in the late 1990s. The clinic has a rich history as one of the pioneering vocational assessment and counseling models in the country. The original name reflects the unique contribution of the University of Minnesota Psychology to the field of career counseling and development. The clinic has been instrumental in promoting the use of well-validated, scientifically sound assessment tools in the career decision-making process. Although our clinic today embraces the more popular term of "career" rather than "vocational" development, we remain true to our roots in relying on sound assessment instruments to guide clients' decision-making processes.