Feature Story by Sonja Montiel: 'The Students Speak'

I remember the days when I was a college admission counselor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Every day my cup was being filled with the vibrancy and energy of college students. They were the bloodline of our work, walking around on campus with a something that I couldn’t articulate then. It was like they had a sense of urgency, and I wondered why their walking pace was a little quicker than mine. I felt like the luckiest person on earth to have landed in a profession that filled me with joy.  Two decades in higher education created shifts in my positions, places and people. Yet, I never left college admissions, I just changed desks. There were rough times when I questioned if I enjoyed my role as a college counselor, witnessing educational policies that distanced students from their educational purpose, let alone becoming lifelong learners. And yet, I stayed. My roots as an educator are so thick and intertwined with the mission of The DH Effect, a company I cofounded with my partner Hilary Bilbrey, which is to create trust and belonging worldwide, from the students and families we serve to companies and organizations we create educational experiences for. To put it simply, I remained hopeful. This feature story is found in 'The Hope Edition' of AwareNow Magazine (www.awarenowmagazine.com). Written & Narrated by: Sonja Montiel Music by: Birraj Produced by: Awareness Ties