A hallmark of any profession is the degree to which it has advanced, through research, that body of knowledge which constitutes the core learnings and skills of the discipline. Counselor educators must first ascertain where they have been and what empirical evidence has influenced and provided the foundations for professional actions. A review of 12 introductory textbooks in counselor education revealed which theoretician-researchers' contributions are frequently cited to students. An open-ended questionnaire completed by 24 counselor educators revealed what specific research has influenced how counselor educators function. Individual researchers most frequently cited were Ivey for his microcounseling; Carkhoff for his facilitative conditions studies, and Holland for developing a vocational identification and classification system. There are opportunities for both research and training to serve projected social needs of the next decade while at the same time advancing the profession. Counselor preparation programs must strengthen the traditional career core; make courses in multicultural counseling, prevention and wellness, human sexuality, and research required courses; expand offerings of marriage and family topics; and develop international internships. Finally, a national research agenda is needed that involves all of counselor education in meaningful empirical studies that will advance and validate the field of knowledge and establish the reputation of counselor education as a profession in its own right. (NB)