Nicole Watlington

A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Nicole L. Watlington is the product of Guilford County Public Schools and is a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&TSU) where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2001. During her collegiate years, Nicole began discovering her desire to assist youth and young adults in their personal development. As Miss NCA&TSU (2000-2001), she developed TACT (Teaching Alternatives to the Children of Tomorrow), a program for college students to mentor elementary students in the community. In addition, she led the charge for students to take a stand against domestic violence by organizing the "Take Back the Night" march across campus. Immediately after graduation, she made continuing her education a personal goal.  Currently, Nicole is a school counselor with the Guilford County School System. As a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, she founded Rising Phoenix Counseling and Consulting Services in 2017. A motivational speaker who seeks to break the stigma of mental health illness in the African American community, Nicole is also committed to empowering individuals and families to overcome difficulties and to moving forward and living their best lives with purpose. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Nicole continues her advocacy of well-being for youth and young adults. To this end, she is most cognizant of the importance of social justice, Nicole is a contributing artist in the Black Lives Matter mural located in downtown Greensboro, NC.  Most recently, she was an invited contributing author in the book, The HBCU Experience: The HBCU Royal University Queens Edition, published by The HBCU Experience Movement, LLC. Among many proud moments in her life, the most special one is being a mother to two wonderful children, Aiden and Taylor.  You can connect with Nicole here:  Facebook.com/nicolewatlington  Instagram.com/nik_of_tyme79  IG: Rising Phoenix Counseling  Twitter: Nicole Watlington  You can purchase THE HBCU EXPERIENCE: THE HBCU ROYAL UNIVERSITY QUEENS EDITION here