Mt. SAC's Counselors STEP Up To Welcome New Students
April 27, 2026 - 03:46 PM
Every summer, Mt. SAC’s Counseling Department helps transition new students into college, either setting foot on campus or logging in online.
The Summer Transition Enrichment Program (STEP) is a two-week transferable counseling class that does exactly as it is titled: it is an introduction to college.
“Students learn what they need to be successful in STEP,” says Mt. SAC’s Alana Bachor, Ed. D., Counseling Faculty and Faculty Coordinator of STEP. “They learn about education planning, campus resources, and career exploration. STEP is highly interactive and hands-on, and students connect with classmates and make friends.”
Thirty-four counselors are scheduled to teach 40 different sections of the STEP course to over 1,000 incoming students this summer, and, during the upcoming 2026 Summer Intersession, students can expect a fresh approach from their instructors.
“The curriculum has been revamped this year to include an asset-based approach, one that focuses on the great talents that students bring to the college, making it better,” Bachor says.
“We were awarded a Guided Pathways to Success Grant to fund CliftonStrengths Assessment codes, so all STEP students can take the assessment and learn about their specific talent themes. We piloted using the assessment during the past fall and winter terms, and it was very successful. We designed the class activities to be in alignment with Guided Pathways, the Student Equity Plan, and Mt. SAC 2035”, says Emily Versace, Mt. SAC’s STEP curriculum lead and Career Counselor/Coordinator.
In addition to focusing on the students’ talents, the counselors will also connect their pupils with campus resources.
“Students who participate in STEP and meet eligibility requirements, gain Promise Plus-funded benefits, and continue to stay connected with counselors and resources throughout their first year,” Bachor explains.
Mt. SAC students are not the only ones benefiting from STEP. Graduate students have opportunities in the newly-created volunteer program within STEP to gain teaching experience in a community college classroom.
“The Teaching Experiential for STEP is a brand-new volunteer program to Mt. SAC that provides training for Teaching Experiential Participants (TEPs), so they can help out the counseling faculty in the STEP classrooms,” Bachor says. “This additional support not only helps the counseling faculty and students, but many of the TEPs are current Mt. SAC employees in graduate programs, looking to broaden their skillset in the classroom.”
To learn more about the Counseling Department, visit https://www.mtsac.edu/counseling/. To learn more about STEP, visit https://www.mtsac.edu/step/.
