Lorraine Guth
While she teaches counseling, not math, Lorraine Guth fully appreciates the “geometric good” of preparing future counselors—each of whom will go on to improve hundreds of lives over the course of their careers.
Learn more about IUP’s 2024–25 Distinguished University Professor in this installment of Meet Our Faculty.
What is it about the counseling field that initially drew you in—and ultimately keeps you interested?
When I was younger, I ran a cleaning service, and a local funeral home was one of my regular customers. As I went about my routine of dusting and vacuuming, seeing those who had passed away was simply a familiar part of my workday. But everything shifted when my best friend’s grandmother died. Attending her funeral, I was struck by the raw heartbreak and grief of losing a loved one, and I was taken aback by how profoundly my reaction changed when the loss became personal. That pivotal moment sparked my passion for the counseling profession and launched my journey into higher education. Today, I remain deeply grateful for my work at IUP and for the incredible opportunities I have had to engage in international counseling outreach across the globe.
Why do you enjoy teaching in this discipline?
I truly love teaching in the counseling profession because it allows me to facilitate student growth that ultimately produces a “geometric good,” as a former colleague of mine beautifully phrased it. Training the next generation of counselors creates an exponential ripple effect of healing and community support. The students we prepare within the IUP counseling programs master these impactful clinical skills and carry them forward to transform hundreds of individuals, families, and communities throughout their careers. Knowing that my connection with a student cascades into a widespread, lasting network of wellness is what makes education the most powerful and rewarding aspect of my work.
What advice would you give students about how to succeed in college?
To succeed in college, remember that even if life does not land you exactly where you want to go, you will ultimately end up precisely where you need to be. In these times of global uncertainty and division, it is critically important to nurture our human connections. These bonds—whether they are brief encounters in the community, long-lasting friendships, deep ties with family and chosen family, or daily conversations with peers—are what bring genuine meaning to our lives. As you navigate your IUP journey and beyond, remember that you always have support, and it is a sign of strength to ask for help. Prioritize your own wellness, cherish your connections, and trust your unique path.
Tell us something most of your students may not know about you.
If you want to know something most of my students don’t know about me, it’s that my career path was completely changed by a split-second risk—and a parachute. Early in my career, I was interviewing for a competitive doctoral internship in Memphis when the interviewer asked, “What makes you different?” I started giving the usual canned answer about being a caring person with great training, but he stopped me mid-sentence: “I’ve heard that all day. Is there anything else?” Caught totally off guard, I blurted out, “Yes—I’ve been skydiving.” It turns out, he was an avid skydiver! My answer moved us into a genuine conversation in which we connected not just as interviewer and interviewee, but as humans. Afterward, I sent a thank-you note with a photo of my jump and wrote, “It was nice dropping in on you.” I later found out that, during final selections, he taped my photo to the board and told the committee, “I want her.” I wasn’t necessarily smarter or more skilled than the other applicants, but taking that chance changed my entire career path.