After spending decades of her life on the Ole Miss campus as both an undergraduate and graduate student, as well as working in the university’s counseling office, Vicki Mahan is retiring.
Mahan has served as the Employee Assistance Program Coordinator since 1997 and as the UM Allies Coordinator since 2001. The extensive work Mahan has done here over the years helped transform the EAP program to what it is today, taking it to new heights.
Vicki Mahan, longtime assistant director for the university’s counseling center, is retiring at the end of this semester. (Photo by: Royce Swayze)
The Michigan native and Ole Miss alumna moved to Mississippi in 1979 after marrying her then-husband and started a private counseling practice in Oxford. Mahan finished her bachelor’s degree at Ole Miss, and also acquired a specialist’s degree in education.
Her career began in the Water Valley and Oxford school districts as a special educator. Later, she found herself at the alternative school, formerly known as The Learning Center, counseling as much as she taught. After obtaining her master’s degree from Ole Miss in counseling, known as educational psychology at that time, she began working at the counseling center on campus.
By 1993, she was a graduate assistant, writing proposals to expand the EAP program at the counseling center. It had just been created and there was a half-time EAP position available. Mahan took the position and quickly made it full-time. It took about 10 years to expand the program to what it is now: a full-service, three-tier EAP. Today, it is a counseling and treatment service available to all faculty and staff.
“I’m so proud of that,” Mahan said. “This program came from nothing.”
Throughout her years here at the University, Mahan said, more than anything, her job has given her an education.
“From beginning to now, I’ve learned here,” she said. “People who work for universities are lifelong learners, but these have been years of great social change.”
During her stay, the UM Allies Program, a support program for LGBTQ individuals, was created. Mahan served as the staff advisor.
“In the beginning, we had to move their weekly meetings from room to room from fear of people with hate on their minds crashing and causing trouble. Through Allies, I was so excited to see people from every realm of the University come together to give students the best opportunity to get an education,” Mahan said.
Mahan said the stigma around mental illness has evolved as well. The counseling center used to make special accommodations for people who didn’t want to be seen coming in or out of the counseling center, but they don’t have to do so nowadays.
One of her favorite parts about her job is the family atmosphere at the University.
“This is our little community,” Mahan said. “The counseling center is a family. It has been a privilege to work with and under such great people. Everyone who works here is so important and has big responsibilities.”
Her coworkers share those sentiments and hold her in high regard. Billy Meyers, a licensed professional counselor at the counseling center, said there will be large shoes to fill after Mahan’s retirement. He said Mahan has served as a mentor for a lot of people who have passed through the counseling center.
“I have such profound respect for her and the work Vicki does,” Meyers said. “The impact she has had can be measured in the lives of the people who have come through in her years here. I’m so happy to have had to opportunity have worked with her and I am excited for her future and the work I know she will continue to do in the community.”
The confidentiality of her line of work pulls her into the lives of many different types of students. She said at-risk adolescents have a lot happening in their lives and their critical needs have to be addressed before they can embark on an education. As a result, she has enjoyed having such close interaction with students.
“I will miss being a part of student affairs. They’re just trying to make student life better and easier,” Mahan said. “Student affairs people care. I will really miss being able to work with all of the departments and students.”
Mahan is optimistic about the future of the EAP and Allies programs.
“I am very hopeful and believe it is only going to get better. Once these barriers drop, it’s magical. It’s like dominoes,” Mahan said. “It’s just going to continue to get better.”
She said she plans to continue to serve her community after retirement by expanding her private counseling business.
Her years of experience have taught Mahan that everybody needs some help every now and then.
“Everyone needs someone to walk beside them in difficult times,” Mahan said.
Mahan has walked beside so many people and plans to continue doing so.
Her retirement reception will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 in Bryant Hall.
