Kathleen Martin
Director of College
Guidance
Wilmington Friends
School (DE)
How long have you been in your current position at Wilmington
Friends School? How long have you been in college counseling?
I’m beginning my
ninth year as the Director of College Guidance at Wilmington Friends. Before switching sides of the desk, I was in
college admission for eighteen years.
How did you get started in college counseling/admissions?
After college
graduation, I attended a wedding of a friend.
At the time, I was working at the mall so when someone at the dinner
table mentioned that Moravian College had an admissions opening, it sounded
very appealing! Originally, I thought
that higher education would be a great “first” job, but here I am, 28 years
later, still loving it!
What's your favorite admissions/counseling memory?
The amazing friends
and colleagues that I have encountered shape all of my best memories. One of my favorite cringe-worthy memories,
however, comes from my rookie year.
Determined to impress, I showed up bright and early to a college fair in
New Hampshire at my VP’s alma mater. I
worked the entire room, meeting everyone there, mentioning our mutual
acquaintance, sharing stories about the VP’s high school days, schmoozing and
networking my heart out. As the start
time of the college fair neared, I asked to be directed to the college fair
tables. One person wasn’t sure where
they were, so she directed me to another woman, who, ever so kindly, informed
me that the college fair had been the previous weekend, and that I had just
spent an hour working the room at an alumni function! Utterly humiliated, I returned to my B&B
and sobbed all weekend, convinced that I would be fired first thing Monday
morning. However, when I sheepishly told
my boss and my VP about my faux pas, their response was several minutes of
uninterrupted laughter!
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue leadership
in PCACAC and/or NACAC?
Get involved. Take a risk.
If it feels a bit scary, it will probably lead to unexpected and
wonderful growth!
If not working in admissions/college counseling, what else could
you see yourself pursuing?
If not for higher
education, I probably would have pursued a career in women’s health, serving as
either a health educator or a midwife!
Actually, upon reflection, I think that the college process and the
birth process have more similarities than I originally thought…a long process
involving some pain and tears, usually resulting in a lot of joy!
What's one thing that most people don't know about you?
That in my next
life, I plan to return as a blues singer.
What's a current trend or future issue you're passionate about
right now? And why?
Access and equity in
higher education. With the escalating
costs of education, the shift from need-based to merit-based admissions, and the
lack of access to resources, information, and guidance, the college access gap
continues to widen. College tuition is
rising faster than health care costs while family resources remain stagnant. Increasingly, it seems that private higher
education is a case of the haves and have nots; those who can afford the
sticker price can attend. Access to
quality education is the fundamental core of being a democratic citizen, yet,
so many of our underserved students have limited knowledge, little to no
guidance through the college process, while financial support is being cut and
interest rates soar. Every student should be able to achieve the American
dream!
*** To Celebrate Potomac Chesapeake's 50th Conference Anniversary, we're highlighting some of our current members. Each week until the conference at The Homestead in Spring 2015, a new member will be posted. Interested in participating? Email Aundra Weissert at aweissert2@washcoll.edu to get started.***
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