MCC Advocacy Services

Advocacy Services is comprised of a team of four non-clinical counselors each assigned to a major campus or online. Students, faculty, and staff can reach out directly to the counselor at their location, submit a contact form (link), or call the Advocacy front line at 531-622-2208. As individual counselors may be out of the office or unavailable, initial contact through the form is encouraged.

Molly Engdahl, EVC, mengdahl@mccneb.edu, 531-622-1316
Dani Bojanski, FOC, dbojanski1@mccneb.edu, 531-622-2644
Tash Herrera, SOC, tgherrera@mccneb.edu, 531-622-4604
Brittany Pintor, Online, bspintor@mccneb.edu, 531-622-3841

Advocacy Counselors are not emergency responders. In case of an emergency, please contact MCC Police at 531-MCC-2222 or dial 911.

Please read this information before your upcoming appointment with your advocacy counselor. The information here will help you better understand what assistance your advocacy counselor can provide and the privacy practices they will adhere to.

Advocacy Counselors provide support and intervention when challenging circumstances or a major life event impacts academics or personal life. Counselors take a holistic approach to help you identify actions you can take to create positive change. They provide referrals to MCC partners and community agencies for services such as interpersonal counseling, financial assistance and housing.

• Advocacy Counselors are professionally trained and experienced counselors. However, in their role at MCC, they do not diagnose or treat mental health concerns. If you need therapy for mental health, your Advocacy Counselor will assist you with connecting with a therapist and preparing for your appointment.
• The information that you or others share with an Advocacy Counselor does not fall under the same confidentiality levels of a health care provider or psychotherapist. The services and work of Student Advocacy and Accountability fall under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and information is shared only when permitted by FERPA or other applicable federal and state laws.
• Advocacy Counselors take seriously their role to foster a safe campus for you and others, which means that there are limits to the privacy statement above:
  1. If a counselor has reason to believe that you are in danger of significant physical or psychological deterioration as a result of being unwilling or unable to follow treatment referrals, they may contact a family member or another person who can help provide protection assistance.
  2. If you pose a foreseeable danger of harm to yourself or others, a counselor may report this information to authorities responsible for ensuring your safety and the safety of others with the goal of defusing the danger and providing help.
  3. If you are under 19 years of age and a counselor suspects that you have been the victim of child abuse, counselors are mandated to report this information to state authorities.
  4. A court order can require MCC to release information contained in your records or require a staff member to testify in a court hearing.
  5. Under Federal guidelines, Advocacy Counselors must disclose information to College Officials when I make them aware of crimes impacting me or other students and the College. These typically fall under two mandates:
     • Clery Act: criminal offenses (homicide, sexual offense, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, including some hate or bias crimes)
     • Title IX: sexual offenses, including sexual violence, sexual harassment, stalking, domestic and intimate partner violence.
• Advocacy Counselors work closely and consult with all facilities and departments within the College to coordinate assistance for students. As such, information about you and you needs may be shared with others within the College on a need to know basis in order to assist you in accessing specific services. Additionally, Advocacy Counselors may confirm with referral sources that you have met with them and that your needs are being addressed.
• Your Advocacy Counselor will review this information with you at the beginning of your upcoming appointment. If you have questions that you would like addressed before your meeting, please contact your Advocacy Counselor at their phone or email or call 531-622-2408.