A West Virginia University psychologist who has devoted much of her career helping gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students gain acceptance has won the WVU Council on Sexual Orientations (COSO) first award for advocacy.

Rosemary Srebalus has been a psychologist at the WVU Carruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Services since 1981. She also is an adjunct associate professor of counseling in the WVU College of Human Resources and Education, teaching classes in counseling gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons for years.

“Dr. Srebalus has devoted much of her career, often at the expense of public opinion, to providing support to this greatly oppressed group,”said Bernie Schultz, WVU associate dean of the College of Creative Arts and COSO co-chair.

“She has long been noted as a staunch supporter of the gay and lesbian community,”Dr. Schultz said.”In addition to providing counseling services, she created and taught one of WVUs first and only classes designed to teach prospective therapists ways of the special needs and issues facing gay and lesbian clients.”

T. Anne Hawkins, assistant director of Housing and Residence Life, co-chairs COSO with Dr. Schultz.

She also commended Srebalus long-standing commitment to the gay and lesbian community.

“Dr. Srebalus has done much to bring to the forefront increased understanding and empathy for this population,”Hawkins said.

In particular, she recognized her work to help create Safe Zone, a grassroots effort designed to identify and train University volunteers to provide educational and emotional support for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students.

“This was just an incredible endeavor,”Hawkins said,”one that has done much to help change the climate here at WVU .”

Srebalus came to the University in 1981 as a licensed staff psychologist to provide individual and relationship therapy as well as crisis intervention counseling.

In addition to teaching, she has lectured widely on suicide, human sexuality, bereavement and AIDS .

In 1989, she helped to found the WVU Committee on Sexual Awareness and was instrumental in establishing positions for health educators for prevention of sexual assault, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.

She served on the WVU Social Justice Committee for three years and has been a strong advocate for domestic partnership benefits within the University and state system.

Prior to coming to WVU , Srebalus was a therapist in private practice.

In 1966, she earned a bachelors degree in music education from the Ohio State University, a masters in counseling from Indiana State University in 1966 and a doctorate of education degree in counseling education from WVU in 1973.

“I am honored beyond description that COSO would bestow upon me this distinction,”Srebalus said.”It has been a great privilege and joy to work in this area of social justice, about which I feel so passionate, among so many fine colleagues and students whose efforts also deserve recognition. I am grateful for the opportunity to work among the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered members for the improvement of the climate in which we all abide.”

Though too late for this year, this newly created award is expected to become a part of WVUs annual Weekend of Honors next year.

Husband David Srebalus also is a counseling professor in the WVU College of Human Resources and Education.