Rae-Anne Mena Associate Director of Admissions Creighton University (NE)
NACAC MEMBER SINCE 2008
IF YOU COULD BE ANY FICTIONAL CHARACTER, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? I think I’m going to go with Nancy Drew. In my middle management years, one of my colleagues called me Nancy Drew for my ability to size up a situation, figure things out, and solve problems. I’d like to think that I am as smart, resourceful, and energetic as Nancy Drew is, too!
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE WORLD OF COLLEGE ADMISSION COUNSELING? Like so many in the field, I was a tour guide and admission intern at my alma mater (University of Miami). As a public relations major, I quickly realized that so much of admission is PR and 25 years later, I have so loved my role as a college admission counselor that it doesn’t even feel like work most days. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB? Working with students during such an exciting and hope-filled time of their lives. I know the college admis- sion process comes with stress, but I love reminding students to take a deep breath because everyone is getting in somewhere and that the best is yet to come in terms of their growth opportunities in college. HOW HAS NACAC PLAYED A ROLE IN YOUR CAREER? I am so thankful to NACAC for providing opportunities across all the phases of my career. As some- one who has spent 19 of her 25 years in college admission as a regionally based admission counselor, NACAC has given me some of the leadership and professional development oppor- tunities that weren’t always available
in the early days of regional represen- tatives. I’ve had the chance to pres- ent at NACAC conferences and serve on the Local Advisory Committee (LAC) for the NACAC conference in Denver. Those interactions led to an opportunity to lead panel conversa- tions to help inspire emerging leaders in the field. These days I enjoy serv- ing NACAC and my fellow regionally based admission professionals as one of the co-leads for the NACAC Special Interest Group (SIG) for Regional Admission Counselors. As I have grown in experience in the field, so have the opportunities from NACAC! WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING OUR PROFESSION TODAY? It feels like the well-being of our high school and college students is one of the biggest challenges we face. I hear from colleagues in high schools and on college campuses about their need to support students where they are right now and often hear about the challenges from stu- dents directly in their essays and outreach. WHEN YOU AREN’T WORKING, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO? I love hiking and am a huge fan of road trips. A scenic road trip to a good hike would be a perfect day!
SPRING 2024 • 7
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