DeDe Howa named director of disability center and student counselor

This archived article was written by: Carli Jensen

Students walking through the SAC building may run into the new director of the disability resource center and student resource counseling, DeDe Howa. She became the director of these programs at the beginning of February.
Howa is here to make sure that students who have disabilities get the accommodations and services that they need. She wants them to do well in school and does everything she can to make them successful at CEU. She is there for any student to come in and to talk to her about anything.
She is also in charge of the entire student counseling. All types of problems that a student may be having are subjects she counsels with them about. She is willing to meet with anyone who needs help.
As a licensed social worker, Howa is trained to listen and counsel those who need it. She does everything from group therapy to individualized therapy. Anybody who needs help figuring out personal issues can meet and talk with her. She meets with students weekly, biweekly, or even just once. She is open to talk with them as much as they need.
She also receives referrals from CEU personnel if a student has violated the alcohol policy on campus. Students have been required to see her at least once by the assistant dean of students and the student judiciary committee.
Howa completes an alcohol evaluation and provides early intervention services for students who may be abusing alcohol and other drugs.
She is in the process of creating a drug and alcohol education program and hopes by the fall of 2004 they will have a program up and running.
Most students have been nervous when they are first starting the counseling process but most of the time, they feel relieved afterwards. “Nothing is uncommon,” is what she said concerning what types of problems the people she talks to people about. When talking with her, everything is confidential.
Howa’s favorite part about being a counselor at CEU is working with the students to make changes and reach their goals.
While at CEU she will teach a class on alcohol and drugs in the fall. She wants the drug and alcohol program to be successful. She wants it to be a good campus program that educates and helps students.
She would also like to make the disability resource center more accessible to students and faculty.
She is the only counselor on campus and has an assistant, Marty Lawrence, who helps with the disability center. She wants to help every student that is in need of help. Educating them about alcohol and drug abuse is also a goal of hers.
Howa grew up in Price and attended Carbon High School. She lived in Hawaii for seven years after high school where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Hawaii. She is also a certified substance abuse counselor.
She wants students to know that she is there for anybody who needs to talk. Students can call and make an appointment anytime. It is hoped that CEU students take advantage of the resources she provides.