Maria Crossan, MS, LPC, NCC, is an assistant clinical professor and curriculum coordinator in the Creative Arts Therapy Department at Drexel University. A licensed professional counselor and nationally certified counselor, she brings an interdisciplinary background to her work, including prior experience as a registered nurse in primary care at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Since joining Drexel in 2020, Crossan has supported students in both academic and career development settings, previously serving as a career counselor and contributing to university-wide initiatives, including the Learning Alliance, Military and Veteran Student Support Committee and Career Champions program. She teaches core counseling courses and serves as a key resource for students to navigate the professional licensure process.

Crossan’s clinical and scholarly interests center on the intersection of career development and student mental health. She bases her work in a holistic framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit and integrates narrative therapy, inclusive language and socially responsive practices into her career counseling approach. She has presented on the use of hope as an intervention in career counseling and has led efforts to evaluate and implement culturally responsive career assessments. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Immaculata University, where her research examines the impact of trauma on career decision-making and focuses on preparing counseling students to deliver accessible, trauma-informed career counseling services.

Academic Distinctions

• Magna Cum Laude, West Chester (2018)
• John Lazarus Award (2009)
• Johnson and Johnson Nursing Grant (2009)

Grant Participation:

• Healthy Mothers/Health Babies Research Initiative (2015)

Professional Society

American Counseling Association
Pennsylvania Association of Counselor Education and Supervision
National Career Development Association
National Association of Colleges and Employers

Research Interests

Trauma-informed career counseling; military-to-higher-education transitions; career uncertainty and anxiety; hope-based interventions in career development.

PhD, Counselor Education and Supervision (in process)
Immaculata University, Immaculata, PA

MS Counselor Education and Supervision
West Chester University, West Chester, PA

BSN Nursing
West Chester University, West Chester, PA

BA English Literature
Villanova University, Villanova, PA