IWA opens College and Career guidance center

Incarnate Word Academy held the grand opening of its new College & Career Guidance Center (CCGC) on Sept. 8, during its Annual College Night. Nearly 250 IWA students and parents gathered to watch the official ribbon cutting by Principal Joe Torres, Academic Counselor Mitzi Witt, Director of Technology Priscilla Ramos and IWA President Charles Imbergamo.

The CCGC, staffed by Witt, is a facility dedicated to providing the resources needed of twenty first century college-bound student. The CCGC will allow students to better prepare for college using Naviance software. Naviance enables students, parents, faculty and staff to map out a college plan as early as eighth grade, identify career matches based on personality profiles, research colleges, manage timelines and complete application processes.

“Perhaps the most daunting part of the high school academic experience is the preparation for the next level ?collegiate studies,” Imbergamo said.

“Our school’s investment in that preparedness equation has been increased tremendously by the inauguration of the College and Career Guidance Center and Dual Credit Lab.

“Not only will direct college-level instruction be enhanced, our students and parents will have a center of operation to utilize Naviance and Family Connection to search a wide range of colleges, universities and scholarship options. At a time when college admission is so competitive and the price of college and university so expensive, this is an invaluable resource.”

Parents and students were excited about the opportunities the CCGC will provide for college preparation.

Colleen Thomas, a receptionist at St. Pius X Elementary School, son Andrew Thomas, a junior at IWA, will be able “to create his own independence in terms of developing a college path unique to him using Naviance, while also having the ability to converse and compare with fellow students in the lab.”

Thomas also liked that the process is interactive between student, parent and the academic counselor.

“IWA has an outstanding record when it comes to how well our students are prepared for college.
These new tools will assist our students in gaining acceptance and potential scholarships to the college or university that best suits them,” Imbergamo said.