Title: Assistant Professor
Company: University of West Alabama
Location: Livingston, AL United States

Sometimes described as an “iron hand in a velvet glove,” Mary Ann Hollingsworth is inspired by her inner drive; she believes strongly in an internal locus of control. Over the course of her professional life, she has enjoyed much success. Dr. Hollingsworth currently teaches students who are preparing to be school and community health counselors at the University of West Alabama. Besides teaching, however, she is also involved with project development, writing, and research. Dr. Hollingsworth’s current research interests have surrounded learning and counseling through a paradigm of wellness and the whole person. Although she loves her current career, she would like to see more hands-on education versus textbook education. Dr. Hollingsworth believes that there is much more to be learned in the field than in a classroom environment. She integrates this into the classes she teaches by including service learning projects in which students use course concepts in volunteer situations outside the classroom.

Dr. Hollingsworth’s success in the academia world is fueled by her 15 years of experience as a counselor in vocational rehabilitation, elementary schools, and community mental health centers with patients who had severe mental illnesses. She also worked with children and youth programs. To prepare for this career, Dr. Hollingsworth earned a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Walden University, a Ph.D. in health psychology from Walden University, and master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Prior to her work as a professor and a counselor, Dr. Hollingsworth spent 20 years as a personnel and administration officer in the U.S. Army. She originally entered the Army to get the GI Bill for graduate school, but ended up thoroughly enjoying her time there. Dr. Hollingsworth decided to stay for a career, and go to graduate school along the way. While in the Army, she did a lot of volunteer work as a crisis responder with sexual assault and domestic violence victims and as a mentor with girls from dysfunctional family settings.

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