Knightly News

Episcopal College Counseling is taking big strides to increase its national footprint. Director of College Counseling Justin Fenske and Associate Directors Julia Spaht and I regularly attend national conferences and engage with counselors and college admissions officials through workshops, events, and webinars. Recently, Fenske and Spaht presented at the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) conference in Atlanta that attracted professionals from not just the South but states nationwide and even abroad.

Their presentation was entitled, "If You Build It, They Will Come: Collaborative College Fair Planning to Promote Regional Awareness." Since 2015, Episcopal has collaborated with seven partner schools and community organizations from Baton Rouge and beyond for the annual Episcopal College Fair and Case Studies. This event allows sophomores and juniors to meet with representatives from 50+ state, national, and international colleges and juniors and their parents to participate in a mock college admissions session. 

Just as our counselors collaborate with others for the Fair, Fenske and Spaht invited counselors from other schools and community organizations to participate in the SACAC presentation. The co-presenters included Tirza Fernandez-Brazier from East Baton Rouge Parish Schools, Shannon Barrilleaux from Metairie Park Country Day School, and Stephanie Sutton from College Track of New Orleans.

Collaboration is central to the work of Episcopal College Counseling. Fenske said he initially proposed partnering with other schools for our Fair partly because he knew more colleges would want to travel to Episcopal if they could interact with students from multiple schools. "Also," he added, "Episcopal is always looking for opportunities to do outreach with our local community and other Episcopal schools throughout the state." The teamwork between Episcopal and partner counselors doesn't just start the day of the Fair. The counselors work together to compare calendars and choose event dates that align with one another, making travel appealing for representatives and increasing student opportunities.   

Episcopal's collaborative Fair doesn't just benefit counselors and students from our partner schools, however. According to Fenske, "The Case Studies part of the Fair allows our students to interact with other students and hear diverse opinions about college admissions." Spaht added, "Having partner organizations benefits all students—both at Episcopal and other schools—by helping them see that they are part of a larger process of students thinking and learning about colleges across the country."

Fenske and Spaht decided it was important to share Episcopal's collaborative approach to its College Fair and Case Studies with counselors and admissions officials at the SACAC conference. Spaht wrote the conference proposal and said, "By presenting at SACAC, we gain exposure that can benefit our students in the college process. It's another way for college representatives to learn about Episcopal and the great work we all do."

Personally, I've attended dozens of presentations, and I can honestly say that I've not seen one more focused, polished, and professional than this one. If I were a counselor tasked with starting a college fair or collaborating on one, I would have walked away from this presentation with newfound confidence. As for her experience presenting, Spaht's favorite part was "when a counselor from a school in Hilton Head thanked me for our session. She said she's starting a college fair and now has a wealth of resources and ideas to build from." Fenske added, "Presenting is another way of giving back to our larger community. We gain from others' experiences and are excited to share our expertise with them."

The College Counseling team will continue submitting proposals to present at conferences, one of several ways Episcopal College Counseling is stepping out into the larger world of college admissions.

Dr. Alan Newton hails from Alabama and received his PhD in English from the University of Kansas.  He currently serves as Associate Director of College Counseling, AP Coordinator, and Upper School Test Coordinator.  At Episcopal, he has taught eighth grade World Geography, History of Religion, English IV, and AP English Literature. Prior to coming to Episcopal, he taught English and social studies classes and served as a college admissions consultant for more than twenty years, predominantly at college preparatory schools in the United States and South Korea.  He is also a published poet and playwright whose play, Whiteout (2001), won a national Kennedy Center award. Outside of school, he enjoys theater, running, world travel, and playing drums. He is married to Dr. Rebecca Kuhn.

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