For Bilal Kalkan, the most profound lessons in the MA Counseling program didn't come from a textbook; they emerged through mentorship.
At A Glance
Alum
Bilal Kalkan
Undergraduate Program
BA in Guidance and Psychological Counseling, Istanbul University
Program
MA in School Counseling (2008)
Professional Pathway
Counselor Educator, Assistant Professor
How Mentorship Shaped Kalkan’s Journey
As an international student navigating the dual pressures of a demanding graduate program and life in a new country, Bilal found himself at a crossroads. It was here that his professors stepped in, not just as instructors, but as anchors.
They challenged his thinking while offering steady encouragement, helping him bridge the gap between his roots in Istanbul and his future in New York. That experience planted a quiet, persistent question that would define his career: What does it mean to become the kind of mentor who helps others discover their own direction?
Building on a Global Foundation
This wasn't Bilal’s first encounter with the complexities of the human mind. Before arriving at NYU, he had earned his undergraduate degree in Guidance and Psychological Counseling at Istanbul University. Working with students in school settings, he witnessed firsthand how academic success is inextricably linked to personal and family systems.
However, his time in the MA Counseling program shifted his perspective from the technical to the relational. He realized that while theory matters, real growth happens through community. The faculty and peers who invested in him created a space for dialogue and reflection that transformed counseling from a job into a responsibility, a mission to cultivate supportive environments for others.
Explore intentionally and connect authentically. There is a place for you—and once you find your people, the experience becomes even more transformative."
From Discovery to Leadership
Since graduating in 2012, Bilal has spent his career answering the question he first asked at NYU. He went on to earn a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Ohio University, focusing his research on the intersection of online behaviors and mental health among college students.
Today, Dr. Kalkan serves as an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Marymount University. In his classrooms, he teaches multicultural counseling and addiction counseling, but his true work lies in the margins of those lectures.
He is now the mentor he once sought, guiding a new generation of graduate students through their own professional and personal transitions.
A Legacy of Connection
Looking back, the relationships forged at NYU remain the blueprint for his approach as an educator. He understands that for a student navigating transitions, a single conversation can change everything.
For future students: Explore intentionally and connect authentically. When you find your community, the learning becomes something much deeper than coursework; it becomes the beginning of your life’s work.