Olivia Barajas Named OC Career Education Counselor of the Year
Fullerton College Counselor Olivia Barajas has been named the 2018-19 Orange County Career Education Community College Counselor of the Year by the Orange County Department of Education. Barajas will be honored at a special ceremony during the 2019 OC Counselor Symposium on Nov. 7 in Anaheim.
“We are so proud of Olivia,” said Counseling and Student Development Dean Dr. Jennifer LaBounty. “Olivia has done extraordinary work guiding, preparing, and connecting students with college and career opportunities.”
Barajas joined Fullerton College as a full-time counselor in the fall of 2016. Prior to that, she served as an adjunct counselor and instructor for multiple programs, including Career Technical Education at Santa Ana College and general counseling at Fullerton College. Barajas completed her Bachelor of Arts in History of Art at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in Counseling from Cal State Long Beach.
The Counselor of the Year recognition is done through a committee ranking the following criteria:
- Promotes college and career readiness for all students
- Serves as an advocate for the integration of academic, personal, and career learning
- Promotes student enrollment and is knowledgeable in current goals, changes, and processes of the community college system
- Works collaboratively with other counselors
- Engages in ongoing professional development efforts and
- Possesses collaborative and leadership capabilities in their current role.
