When I was in eighth grade, my school counselor told me that my people didn’t go to college.
I went anyway. And I’ve spent my career making sure that no young person leaves a counselor’s office carrying that same weight.
Too many families approach college planning the way most of us approach it at first — by guessing, reacting, and hoping for the best. Random acts of college planning. A school visit here, an application there, a list of schools pulled from a ranking magazine. It’s stressful, it’s expensive, and it leaves too much to chance. My work is built around one goal: helping families eliminate that randomness and replace it with a clear, confident plan that actually fits their students.
I work with high school students and their families at every stage of the college journey — from first thinking about what’s possible, through the search, the applications, and the transition to campus life. What I bring to that work isn’t just a process. It’s three careers’ worth of perspective: I’ve been in the classroom as a Social Studies teacher, behind the desk as a school counselor, and at the front of the room training the next generation of counselors as a counselor educator. I’ve seen this journey from nearly every angle, and I use all of it on behalf of the students I serve.
I believe Malcolm X was right: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
My job is to help students get their passport — and to clear as many of the obstacles out of their path as I can, so they can see who they’re capable of becoming and actually get there.
I also speak with groups and organizations about the college planning process and the importance of supporting young people through the transitions that shape their lives — from career awareness and exploration all the way to the moment they walk onto campus.
If you’re ready to trade the guesswork for a real plan, I’d love to talk.
Not sure where to start? That’s exactly what the first conversation is for. Reach out to schedule a free consultation — no pressure, just a chance to talk about where your student is and where they want to go.
Steps To The Future values the transformative power of education and welcomes students and families without regard to race, religion, gender, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, in providing its services.
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Professional development continues to be a major factor in my work life. With physical visits to campuses curtailed during 2020 (most are re-opening for in-person visits), I spend about 7 -10 hours per week on virtual visits with college admission counselors. The IECA, one of my professional organizations, regularly conducts College Conversations, an hour-long presentation with time built in for Q & A. To date, members of IECA had sessions with the colleges on the chart. Additionally, I added to this list by facilitating sessions in my capacity as the college counselor for the Montessori School of Raleigh where, along with the students, we learned more about UNC Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, the College of Wooster, Queens University of Charlotte, Muhlenberg, Elon, Western Carolina, North Carolina Central, the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Did you know UNC Wilmington has a major in Coastal Engineering or that Western Carolina (along with UNC Pembroke and Elizabeth City State) is a NC Promise institution? A NC Promise school’s in-state tuition is $500 while non-residents pay $2500 per semester.
Our virtual world allows for hours upon hours of accessible college information sessions. I had to step back and limit myself to a reasonable number of hours of “college visits”.
I challenge my students regularly to move beyond their comfort zone and during the height of the pandemic, I stretched myself way beyond my level of comfort. I am one of 14 co-authors of Becoming The Shero, an anthology depicting the journeys of entrepreneurs at different stages of their lives. My story is in the Embracing the Pivot section.
Another way I stay current is through my new position at Providence College. As of August 2020, I am the College Supervisor for the School Counseling Program. What does the college supervisor do? I supervise the students in the program during their 2-semester internship at a school, where they are directly supervised by their Site Supervisor, a certified professional school counselor. It is the student teaching equivalent for school counseling.
Reading is a daily pleasure for me. Here are nine books (not in chronological order) that helped me to educate myself about current events and issues of social justice:
To stay up-to-date on trends in college, career and paying for college, see my list of books under the “Parent Resources” tab.
I challenge my students to be lifelong readers. I am practicing what I preach. What are you reading today?
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