Kimberly Davis named director of The W Counseling Center
Kimberly Davis has been named director of the Counseling Center at Mississippi University for Women.
“Kimberly brings compassion and a genuine commitment to supporting the well-being and success of our students. This next step as director demonstrates an elevated impact to continue the standard of professionalism, trust and care for the students we serve,” said Dr. Matthew Miles, dean of students.
Davis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor (LMFT/S) with more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She joined The W Counseling Center in 2019 and has served students through individual, family and group therapy, crisis intervention, risk assessments and mental health education and outreach.
“Mental health, wellness, dignity and respect for human life have been my passions,” said Davis. “I am grateful to have the privilege to pursue these in my work through the Counseling Center at The W. We desire all our students, staff and faculty to be successful, and I am grateful to be included in this endeavor as the director of the Counseling Center.”
As director, Davis will provide leadership for the Counseling Center and its clinical services while continuing to support the mental health and well-being of the university community. Her campus involvement includes serving on Staff Council, the Emergency Fund Committee, the Individual Education Plan (IEP) committee with the Student Success Department, the Community Action Coalition, the Public Relations Department and Campus Security. She has served as an adviser to the MUW Active Minds organization for four years and provides annual mental health training for university residence assistants.
The W Counseling Center’s mission is to promote the development of options for dealing with personal, academic, mental health and wellness concerns to enhance student success. If a student is experiencing stress, having difficulty adjusting to student life, struggling to create or maintain peer or family relationships or simply needs an objective point of view regarding a decision or issue in their life, the Counseling Center is available for help. The services are free to all currently enrolled students.
The center also provides educational and training opportunities for faculty and staff upon request on topics related to mental health and wellness.
Prior to joining The W, Davis worked at Memorial Behavioral Health in Gulfport as the central Mississippi outreach coordinator, where she led research, data gathering, assessment and the creation of extensive resources covering more than 14 counties. She also served as the organization’s marketing manager. Davis has also worked with Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources in Hattiesburg and BayView Professional Associates in Mobile, Alabama, and served as an outreach coordinator for the Drug Education Council in Mobile, where she earned a Prevention Specialist Certificate.
Davis earned a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern Mississippi. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in Christian Education and Elementary Education from Belhaven College. Davis is an active member and supporter of the Mississippi University of Women Alumni Association.