The National Consortium for School Counseling and Postsecondary Success (NCSCPS) was formed to increase equitable access to higher education. The Consortium aims to identify and address barriers underserved students face in pursuing educational opportunities. It emerged in response to First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher Initiative, which encourages all students to continue their education after high school. The Consortium will work with states, colleges, and schools to strengthen counseling, advising, and information systems to better support students and families nationwide. It is led by leaders in school counseling and college access and aims to provide leadership on excellence and access in counseling and postsecondary planning.

1. School Counseling and College Access Leaders Answer First Lady Michelle Obama's Call To
Action
Unite to Expand Opportunity and Strengthen Educational Pipeline
Baltimore, MD: A distinguished panel of leaders in school counseling and college access communities
today announced the formation of the National Consortium for School Counseling and Postsecondary
Success (NCSCPS), to increase fair and accessible pathways to higher education for all students.
The Consortium’s highest priorities are to work with states, college access partners, and educational
institutions to identify and remove historical and pervasive barriers that underserved student
population’s face in seeking and obtaining quality educational opportunities.
The impetus for the Consortium emerged from First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative,
which seeks to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing a post high
school education, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-
year institution.
The Reach Higher Initiative cast national attention on the need for improvements to current school and
career counseling systems. Beginning with two national meetings at the Harvard Graduate School of
Education and San Diego State University, and in collaboration with the White House’s College
Opportunity Agenda, the Consortium emerged as an essential part of the infrastructure needed to begin
addressing critical barriers to college access.
The Consortium—launched this week with the support of a grant from the Kresge Foundation—aims to
provide a leading voice for the excellence and access in college and career services. Through its work,
the Consortium will serve as a catalyst to support and strengthen school counseling, college advising, and
collaborative systems that provide college and career information to students and families across the
nation.
Consortium activities will rely heavily on current school counselor leadership and strategic partnerships
with the broad network of college access professionals and school counselors throughout the
nation. Activities will focus on the development of School Counselor Practice, Standards and
Credentialing, Pre-Service and In-Service Training, Policy, and Research.
The Executive Director of Reach Higher, Eric Waldo, had this to say: “I’m thrilled that this group of
incredible thought-leaders has come together to help answer the First Lady’s call to improve school
counseling and post-secondary success for all students. They saw the need for this and are stepping up to
make a difference at the national level. We’re grateful for their leadership.”

2. Consortium members are:
 Dr. Joyce Brown, Retired Director of Secondary Counselors Chicago Public Schools and President
& CEO of Joyce V. Brown Consulting Group;
 Dr. Trish Hatch, Professor and Director of School Counseling, San Diego State University;
 Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Counseling &
Human Development, Johns Hopkins University;
 Judith Lorimer, Deputy Director, Goddard Riverside Community Center’s Options Center;
 Patricia J. Martin, Former Assistant Vice President, College Board, NOSCA, Independent
Consultant and Guest Lecturer, Johns Hopkins University;
 Jasmine McLeod, Past School Counseling Specialists, Baltimore City School System;
 Dr. Laura Owen, Assistant Professor of School Counseling, San Diego State University; and
 Dr. Mandy Savitz-Romer, Senior Lecturer and Faculty Director of Prevention Science and Practice
Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
For additional information, see www.ncscps.org or call # 1-888-455-5676