Professors Eng and McKibben Present Research at National AARC Conference
Faculty share scholarship and connect with peers at national counseling research conference in Plano, Texas.
September 22, 2026
Two faculty members from Stetson University's Department of Counselor Education traveled to Plano, Texas, this fall to present research at the 2026 Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC) conference.
Bradley McKibben, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Counselor Education, and Timothy Eng, PhD, presented separate research sessions at the national conference, joining colleagues from across the country to share scholarship in counseling research and assessment.
McKibben co-presented "A Content Analysis of Research-Focused Presentations at ACES National Conferences," with Phillip Waalkes, PhD, of Western Carolina University, Dan Decino, PhD, of the University of South Dakota, and Tyler Tooley of the University of Missouri, St. Louis. He also co-presented "Navigating Authorship in Counseling Research: Ethical, Relational, and Practical Strategies" with Christian Chan, PhD, of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a session drawn from their co-authored manuscript on publication ethics in counseling research that is currently under review with the journal Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation.
Eng presented "Hidden Doubt: Predicting Imposter Syndrome in First-Generation Students Through Wellness and Forgiveness," co-authored with Ann Shillingford, PhD, of the University of Central Florida.
"Conferences like AARC are about more than presenting our own work," McKibben said. "They're a chance to reconnect with colleagues from across the country, find new opportunities to connect and collaborate, and even find a little unexpected fun, like watching dozens of hot air balloons light up the Texas sky the night before the conference began." The evening before the conference began, McKibben attended the H-E-B | Central Market Plano Balloon Festival at Oak Point Park, which marked its 47th year of ballooning in Plano and Collin County this fall.
Faculty participation in national conferences such as AARC reflects the Department of Counselor Education's ongoing commitment to advancing the counseling profession through research, while also modeling the value of professional engagement and connection beyond the classroom.
