Reflective Journal Assignment

Partners For Change: College Access & Success

Instructor: Rochelle Smarr
Response: Johnmichael Medina
During my interview with Katherine Laureano I thought the most interesting question as
well as response was the one that asked about the greatest challenges at work. Every occupation
has its challenges, obstacles that slow down or prevent the achievement of its
goals. Being a student success counselor at New Settlements I expected to hear challenges
that were mainly financially related, as most of these organizations face. She did mention
briefly about the issues of insufficient funds to provide larger work spaces, but then went on
towards more interesting issues.
One of the most interesting issues she mentioned to me that I did not think about was
learning how to prioritize and detach students. Prioritizing meaning the act of focusing on the
students that either need more help, have high potential or both. Every student has a different
background with various issues, some more realistic than others. Being able to analyze a
student for what she or he really is without being distracted by the extra fluff of complaints
that students sometimes give and then deciding how much help they require.
This leads me to the second issue she mentioned which was being detached. Most
social workers have a strong desire to make a definite change in a needed persons or
communitys life. Now the question is, how much is too much help? Counselors can
sometimes find themselves continuously hand holding the students every single step of the
way to then later find out that he or she drops out of school. Katherine mentioned that she
needs to remember that the students are the ones that should drive their lives and not the
counselors. They should play more of an advisory/observer role. If you want it more than the
student, then there might be a problem and you might end up exhausting a lot of energy on
someone that wont commit. So one needs to help and guide but exercise detachment in order
to prevent some sort of a tunnel vision effect.
This interview slightly increased my interest in working with student success
programs, due to the common feeling of wanting to help people that employees have. Hearing
about the challenges at Katherines job were enlightening in the sense that I feel the
detachment and prioritizing issues can be applied in many fields of work. I do like challenges
in my scopes of interests, so hearing Katherine speak made me wonder how I would be able
to ease the situation, whether it be as a counselor as well or in another organization that has
the power over positive effects at student success programs.

Response: Uwagbae Eweka

The interview with college counselor Katherine Laureano was truly rewarding. Ms.
Laureano and Mr. Harris are constantly on the move, visiting students, case managing, to name a
few of their many responsibilities. This assignment provided myself and Johnmichael with the
opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with Ms. Laureano to better understand her
motivation to helping students access and succeed in higher education.
Of the responses Ms. Laureano provided us with, the most interesting one was her answer
regarding issues which she is passionate about and what she could do to to solve the problems if
provided with the resources needed to combat it.
Ms. Laureanos passions are advocating for domestic violence awareness and youth
empowerment, specifically the empowerment of young women of color is very important to her.
Ms. Laureano stated she believes that young black men indeed also do need support, as there are
more women than men in college and succeeding. However her concern lies is that young girls
are constantly under so much pressure and attack from various forms of social media, which
impacts their self-esteem heavily. Ms. Laureano believes empowerment of young women of
color, especially in minority communities is extremely important and requires much more
attention than it is currently being given.
If provided with the proper resources, Ms. Laureano would like to have a mentorship program, for
the girls, specifically where they can seek support, and just attain growth in certain areas; a
networking/mentoring program. Although it wouldnt directly solve the issue, Ms. Laureano would like
more resources to write to all the rappers, and different outlets of social media and let them know how
they should present and portray themselves to young women. How entertainers like Miley Cyrus,
Rihannas, even Beyonce are people young women idolize; Ms. Laureano would contact them,
informing them of how they portray themselves, how they portray beauty, what a woman is, figure of a
woman, all of these things which are messages that are being sent, to young girls should be done in a
positive manner.

This interview with Ms. Laureano really helped me understand the success component
of higher education. For a while, prior to working at New Settlement Apartments College Access
Center (NSACAC), my goal was continuous access, to do my best to ensure my students [at
LGR] were college ready. I definitely would like to continue working with NSACAC in the
future. They are an extraordinary organization, providing not just the keys to the road of
collegiate success, but a well-detailed map, and a plethora of provisions to keep them on the right
path at all times.