Program Alumni

SACC alumni are changing the face of the student affairs profession. They are making a difference in higher education institutions across the state of California and the nation. Below are some of the institutions that recent graduates of the program within the past 5 years are currently employed at:

 

SACC alumni hold positions across a wide range of student affairs functional areas (e.g., academic advising programs, admission programs and services, campus activities programs, career services, disability resources and services, financial aid programs, first-year experience, learning assistance programs, multicultural student programs and services, registrar services, TRIO and college access programs) that allow them to use their counseling skills in supporting student development and success. Below are some of the job titles that recent graduates of the program within the past 5 years currently hold:

• AANAPISI Work-Based Learning Experiences Project Coordinator
• Academic & Career Coordinator
• Academic Advisor
• Academic & Career Advisor
• Academic Counselor
• Admissions Advisor
• Articulation Officer
• Assistant Director of Admissions
• Career Advisor
• Career Counselor
• College Counselor
• Community College Counselor (e.g., Career Services, Career Technical Education, Dual Enrollment, General, Transfer, Welcome Center)
• Director of Disabled Student Programs and Services
• Director of Graduate Admissions
• Director of Undergraduate Admissions
• Educational Advisor
• Evaluator
• Financial Aid Specialist
• Graduate Specialist
• Off-Campus Student Life & Innovation Coordinator
• Online Student Success Advisor
• Outreach & Recruitment Advisor
• Pre-Health Advisor
• Student Engagement Coordinator
• Student Services Advisor
• Student Success Coach
• Student Success Specialist
• Supplemental Instruction Specialist
• Undergraduate Advisor

Mariela Ramirez Munoz (2020)

Undergraduate Advisor for the Anthropology Department at University of California, Santa Cruz

"The counseling skills I learned and acquired through the SACC program have assisted me through my role as an academic advisor. Students might be experiencing a multitude of emotions and challenges during an academic term and it has been helpful to sit with the student, actively listen to them, and utilize the skills I learned from the program. Furthermore, the SACC program at Fresno State provided me with the opportunity to continue gaining research experience through my thesis work which will be critical in later years, if I decide to pursue a PhD. I also had the opportunity to make friendships with my peers who I am still in contact with to this day. I find it helpful to be able to talk to someone who is also working in higher education and share ideas about the work we are doing to further develop as professionals in our field."

 

Estelina Jones (2019)

Director for the Disabled Students Program & Services (DSPS) at Merced College

"I believe the SACC program has prepared me to demonstrate my multicultural competence and effective interpersonal communication skills, while advising disproportionately-impacted students. Equipped me with the skills to provide leadership and counsel to maintain cohesive team dynamics, necessary for each of the programs I oversee to operate efficiently and effectively. "

 

Sandy Ho (2018)

Counselor for the Milpitas Extension at San Jose City College

"I strongly believe that the SACC program has prepared me for full-time work within higher education, and I attribute much of this learning and skill development to my various internship placements and highly applicable courses such as counseling practicum, multicultural counseling, group counseling, and internship. These courses allowed me to learn, reflect, practice, and implement theories and techniques, while my internships allowed me to gain exposure to the field and acquaint myself with the tools, lingo, challenges, situations and programs that are often experienced in professional work. The program has given me confidence, experiences, and skills to approach supporting and advising students in a holistic manner, and I believe I am a better person and higher education professional because of it."

 

Lauren Elise Flores (2015)

Program Coordinator Analyst for the Fresno-Madera K-16 Collaborative at California State University, Fresno

"During the program I met some of the most passionate, empathetic, and dedicated folks who I am fortunate enough to be able to call both dear friends and dependable student affairs colleagues. The curriculum was designed to provide a strong foundation in counseling skills that enable you to actively listen to and empower individuals with diverse identities, experiences, circumstances, and perspectives. We were also exposed to multiple functional areas within higher education through informational interviews, presentations by guest speakers, and required internship or curriculum hours. I was personally able to directly explore student involvement/leadership programming, academic advising, and new student orientation as a graduate assistant, which enabled me to gain hands-on experience to leverage during my full-time job searches while learning to more quickly identify the values and boundaries I need to be healthy and happy, both professionally and personally. We must be practitioners who model what we encourage our students and colleagues to embrace: recognizing and investing in our unique strengths, following our passions while lifting others, and practicing both self-compassion and self-care to lead fulfilling lives!"

 

Clifford DeWitt Frazier III (2014)

Senior Counselor for the School of Arts and Sciences Education Opportunity Fund (EOF) at Rutgers University

"I had a great experience in the program - life changing really! This program provided insight about my biases and fears of the counseling practice, especially as a person of African American heritage. I've also learned a great deal and appreciation of the counseling practice in general. I was the 2014 Graduate Dean's Medal Recipient from the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. This prestigious honor would have not occurred if it was not for my experience in the counseling program. My career trajectory is solely due to my experience with this program and I am forever grateful. I use the skills learned from this program directly to support my students on my caseload and my professional career role. " 

 

Davion Baker (2014)

Counselor for Black Student Success at Fresno City College

"The SACC program has had the biggest impact on my professional career. Having the ability to apply the core counseling techniques has really allow me to gain a deeper connection to my students. I so grateful for the professor who challenge me and taught me the importance of being empathetic and understanding to everything regardless if you agree with their values and belief. Most importantly, this program showed me that everyone has a story and its our job to help them become the authors of their books."

 

Ross Whitton (2011)

Coordinator/Lead Academic Advisor for the College of Social Sciences Advising Center at California State University, Fresno

"The counseling program was a great experience that gave me hands-on experience as a higher education professional. The COUN 208 and 219 internship classes were great ways to implement the core conditions into an academic counseling setting. It was great in COUN 208 and 219 to talk about our internship experiences and student cases we were working on. The SACC faculty were great because they have experience working in higher education and were able to provide their experiences and stories of working with students and being a professional."