I couldn’t do my job, particularly with enthusiasm, if it weren’t for the amazing students and counselors with whom I get to work. The start of travel again has brought many counselors back into my life, and thus I feel it’s appropriate at this point to talk about how fortunate I am to work with adults who want to make a difference in the world by guiding students in directions that are appropriate for each individual student.
St. Louis was my first trip of the year, and it certainly reminded me of the good people there. I was able to visit with counselors at each school for some time, continually building relationships with the counselors that go beyond just superficial discussions about Lehigh and their schools, and even past basic comments on the students who are considering Lehigh.
The counselors who are able to set aside even just a few minutes of their time for me understand the value in us getting to know each other. – the more we know each other, the easier it is to help the students. Of course, these counselors let me know the strengths of the students that might not come alive in an application, listen to what Lehigh is looking for and thinks critically about who might be a good fit, and know to call or email questions so that they can advise future students as best as possible. The respect that is built lends itself to openness and honesty – something that benefits everyone in a field that appears so confusing, scary, and misguided for many.
Because these wonderful people have learned about me, as a person and not just an admissions counselor, I feel comfortable calling them whenever I have a question about a student or their school. I can easily enjoy their company over lunch and/or dinner – meaning I spend less time alone on this recruitment road that leaves most lonely. I just can’t say enough about my counselors – while they are many great ones out there, I like to think that mine are the best.
y short time in Kansas City also reminded me of this. Public school counselors in most areas are oftentimes kept so busy with general counseling duties that the college piece is overlooked. But at one school in particular, I know this critical role is not ignore. One counselor takes the time to think about the students at the school and who might be a good fit for Lehigh before I arrive at the visit. She’ll call students out of class that she feels is appropriate, and supports them throughout their process. This counselor goes out of her way to call down students she feels is appropriate – which has resulted in several applications and one enrollment. Now the numbers might not seem startling, but when you consider that without her intervention, a student would be in a completely different direction, you can start to appreciate the difference a counselor like this makes.
I was again reminded of how great some of these counselors are at dinner this past week – ten counselors that I’ve gotten to know from across the country joined me at dinner. It was just a great time – of course we discussed Lehigh, but we also chatted about admissions trends, a few other colleges and universities, food from certain parts of the country, my sleeping habits, and more. I consider myself quite lucky that I was able to gather such a random group of counselors who didn’t necessarily know each other and end up with a night that we all enjoyed. It was great to see many of my other counselors at our national conference (National Association for College Admissions Counseling) in St. Louis, and look forward to meeting a whole new group in Colorado.
I’ll certainly miss these people when I complete my career one day. They’ve played such an instrumental role in my growth – it’s difficult to imagine not seeing them once or twice a year. They aren’t just counselors to me – instead, I have friends all around this country; friends who help make the world a better place one student at a time. How lucky am I that I get to know them? Love it.
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