Deb Donely

Previous work experience: Worked as college counselor at New Trier Township High School for 25 years. 

What should students know about your counseling style? 

“I’m a little blunt, and I am a partner with you in your post-secondary planning. So I might make suggestions, but it’s always up to you, the student, to tell me what you want and to steer me in your direction. It’s your path, and I’m merely waving to you from the sidelines.”

What do you hope students will learn from working with you in the college process? 

“While the goal is certainly to get students into colleges and give them plenty of options in terms of whatever post-secondary plans they want, it’s also about thinking about who you are and how you want to represent yourself in college applications. It’s about helping students find their authentic selves and presenting that to colleges in a way that students can look back and say, ‘I did the best job I could. I represented myself in the best manner that I could and I feel proud of the way I represented myself to the colleges.’” 

What are some interests you have outside teaching? 

“I like to garden and I’m outside a lot. You know, I shouldn’t tell you I clean for fun, but I think I clean closets recreationally sometimes as a joke, but I walk the dogs and I just love to read.”