The Impactful Title V Counselor, Emily Versace: A Champion for Student Success

October 11, 2018 - 09:07 AM

In the first year of the grant (2013-14) Title V was greatly assisted by Counselors Cynthia Burnett and Patricia Maestro, respectively. They were instrumental in garnering support for a three session series on coordinating support for CTE program/career decisions for students. Cynthia Burnett suggested the external CTE facilitator, Kevin Fleming of TelosES, who was highly respected in doing pathway-type workshops on college campuses. His video, Success in the New Economy, and book, (Re)Defining the Goal, emphasized the importance of career exploration and CTE programs at community colleges.  The Counseling faculty met to prioritize goals as did the CTE faculty and leadership. This effort culminated in a joint session during Fall FLEX 2015. The Title V and Student Services had just onboarded Emily Versace, who took over efforts aimed at students choosing a career, choosing a major and getting an education plan complete, avoiding incorrect math placement, and improving innovative teaching and learning. Emily's efforts and successful collaboration with the Title V Director, Educational Researcher, and Web Designer, over the past four years have been truly impactful.

Projects have included and are listed by Grant Goal/Component:

Click on links to read more.

1. Enable Students to Make An Informed Choice of Educational Goal 
   • 2015 & 2016 Create & Implement a career assessment for New Student Orientation; Put assessment on Career Counseling Webpage
   • 2017 & 2018 MBTI Training for All Counselors (FT/PT); Continue undecided majors workshops
2. Provide Support Services That Accelerate Students Into, and Promote Retention in, College Level Coursework 
   • 2015 & 2016 Develop and Implement Step Plus summer program with Math Bootcamp using Aleks software; work with math faculty to design; Serve on Early Alert Committee.
   • 2017 & 2018 Continue to Implement and Assess STEP math bootcamp; Increase marketing during New Student Orientation for Math Success Lab (Building 16D).
3. Create Sustainable and Scalable Cohort Models
   • 2015 & 2016 Provide Counseling Support to General Education (Humanities) Pathways; Speak at Workshops for Grant Supported Cohorts (Child Development, Culinary Arts, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Honors College, and Paralegal Studies); Serve on Guided Pathways Committee; Provide study skills techniques using technology in the Tech & Health Summer Student Success Title V Orientations.
   • 2017 & 2018 Continue to support Honors College cohorts & Tech & Health Orientations with "Technsanity" Presentations.
4.  Increase and Enhance Communication with Students 
   • 2015 & 2016 Collaborate to create CTE Program sheets; Lead the Counseling Website Re-Design Team.
   • 2017 & 2018 Continue improving the website; Continue working on CTE brochures for students.
5.  Provide Faculty with Professional Development Opportunities and Resources 
   • 2015 & 2016 Create and implement Just in Time Advising and Faculty Toolkits; Form an advisory team consisting of Title V staff, Web Designer, Counselors, and other IT personnel for implementation.
   • 2017 & 2018 Continue creating and recruiting creators for Toolkits; Increase marketing for Toolkits; Provide faculty with innovative teaching content/training: Training from the Back of the Room (Listen to Mountie Podcast of event here, click on Episode #3) (get certified and offer training at FLEX + 2 day Spring 2018 Sessions); Work on transition of  Toolkits to POD post-Title V grant. Bring award winning author, Elisabeth Park Sanders, President of WorkNet Solutions author of "No One is Unemployable" and  "6 Reasons You'll Get the Job" for a full day workshop for Counselors and career professionals at Mt. SAC.

As of July 1, 2018, the college institutionalized the Title V Counselor's position into General Counseling.