Throughout her career, Dr. Bennett has prioritized professional development opportunities to help deliver the best possible outcomes for her students. “ACCIS puts a fine point on the things we need to know in our profession,” she explains. “We do great professional development for independent school college counselors, and our conferences are really just the tip of the iceberg. I appreciate the smaller PD opportunities, the affinity groups, and the overall engagement ACCIS provides.”

The learning opportunities provided by ACCIS are numerous and cover the gamut, including expert insights on technology platforms, strategies for data-driven conversations about college acceptance, specialized guidance for first-generation or special populations, and in-depth discussions on international student needs and concerns.

Beyond the workshops themselves, Dr. Bennett finds building relationships with others in the profession just as valuable. “There is so much that goes on outside of sessions that excites me,” she shares. “I'm learning from colleagues as we talk about things we might not cover in a session: what's going on at our schools, things that frustrate us, things that we're excited about—and many times, the things that frustrate one person, someone else is excited about. So we can exchange ideas.”

Dr. Bennett's election as chair-elect of ACCIS highlights how highly regarded she is among her peers for her remarkable expertise and underscores our commitment to being at the forefront of thinking on the best practices for counseling our graduates toward their next steps. “I get to hear firsthand the conversations that are going on amongst college counselors and get an idea of emerging trends and changes,” Dr. Bennett says. “We're not very often surprised by something going on in the profession because ACCIS has that front-row seat.”

As an added bonus, the in-person board meetings for ACCIS are always held on college campuses, allowing Dr. Bennett to visit schools and gather firsthand information and insight that she can then share with students and families.

While Dr. Bennett has served on the ACCIS board for a couple of years already, her election as chair-elect has implications for her future leadership in the organization. “Our chair cycle is such that a chair doesn't exist in a silo, and they're not trying to navigate all that work on their own,” Dr. Bennett explains. She will now spend one year as chair-elect, another year as chair, and a final year as past chair, making this a three-year commitment.

With an ever-changing landscape in the college acceptance process, Emma Willard families gain the benefit of Dr. Bennett’s continued involvement with ACCIS. “I leave any conference or professional development feeling better because I find that we're all in the same place,” she concludes. “We just keep learning together. We keep growing and keep our eyes on what’s new. ACCIS has really equipped me with the tools to pivot when necessary. And as a result of my involvement, you can't name a state where I probably don't know several college counselors. Having a broader network expands our capacity to do exceptional work at Emma.”