Blog

In STEP with Hulon Jenkins, Computer Engineering, the University of Michigan

Gaining technical skills as an engineering student can be difficult, and many internships and jobs expect students to have done more than just what was taught in the classroom. I

February 11, 2022

Color in the classroom

I know that seeing someone that looked like me helped me become an educator. It was important then and it’s important now. I read this article the other day and

July 4, 2019

A Professional Worker

This post first appeared on LinkedIn on May 23, 2019.

Recently, my husband declared that I am a professional worker. I frowned when he said it and then our youngest son (Heartbeat #2) chimed in with, “Yeah, all you do is work.” Mind you,…

May 24, 2019

UNC Wilmington: Home of the Seahawks

One of the perks of my job is visiting college campuses and experiencing first-hand the sights and sounds of each college. Oftentimes, we have the opportunity to meet with personnel from

March 22, 2019

Let’s Not Get It Twisted

This article first appeared on LinkedIn on October 22, 2018. How was your weekend? College essay reviews, a trip to the veterinarian and laundry filled my weekend, but this little thing

October 23, 2018

A Letter to My College Students: Kindness Matters

“Hey, who made the sweet potato and corn soup?” I asked the young worker at the grill counter when I ordered my grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. From off to

September 5, 2018

May 2021 Update

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:

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents ~ Isabel Wilkerson
How to Be An Anti-Racist ~ Ibram X. Kendi
Stamped From The Beginning ~ Ibram X. Kendi
I’m Still Here ~ Austin Channing Brown
The Color Of Law ~ Richard Rothstein
We Want To Do More Than Survive ~ Bettina Love
Down Along With That Devil’s Bones ~ Connor Towne O’Neill
Interrupting Racism: Equity and Social Justice in School Counseling ~ Rebecca Atkins & Alicia Oglesby
Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race ~ Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.

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?