By Naquela Kirk (Assistant Director, Student Affairs Marketing and Communications)

Herbert Wilkerson, director of Student Engagement and Enrichment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham , has been inducted into the Jacksonville State University College of Education and Professional Studies Hall of Fame.

Wilkerson, a member of the Class of 2025 inductees, was honored for his contributions to clinical mental health counseling and was one of three recipients of the JSU Scottish Rite Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“I’m so grateful for the many experiences in my career and God given ability to serve,” said Wilkerson. “I have worked in so many environments and always tried to treat the people I’ve worked with the same care as my own family, whether it be client, student, or co-worker.”

Wilkerson is a mental health professional with over 20 years of experience serving diverse populations. He began his career supporting individuals with developmental delays while earning a bachelor’s degree in social work. He later served as a rehabilitation day program coordinator at the Jacksonville Mental Health Center.

After completing a master’s degree in counseling, he worked in a variety of clinical and leadership roles, including providing in-home therapy to adolescents in foster care and overseeing services for adults with severe mental illness. He later earned certification as a Juvenile Sexual Offending Counselor through the University of Louisville and worked with adolescent males in residential care.

Wilkerson transitioned to higher education at UAB, where he joined Student Counseling Services, where he provided individual therapy, advised student groups in Wellness Promotion and Mental Health Ambassadors, co-created a mental health group for African American students, and served on the SCS outreach team.

He will celebrate eight years at UAB this July, continuing his commitment to student well-being and success.