LSU MEd Alum Named Executive Director of College Possible

January 20, 2022

BATON ROUGE, LA - LSU MEd School Counseling alumna, Lauren Treacy, recently assumed the position of Executive Director at College Possible in Seattle, Washington. College Possible is a national organization whose mission is to close the degree divide and make college possible for students from low-income backgrounds through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. After graduating from Gonzaga University, Treacy decided she wanted to invest a year of service in the education field. She served with AmeriCorps in City Year Baton Rouge for two years. Treacy said, “As a first-generation woman of color, I felt compelled to align my work with my life mission to ensure students from all backgrounds can thrive in the educational setting.”

Treacy’s experience with AmeriCorps in City Year Baton Rouge led her to attend Louisiana State University for her Master’s in School Counseling. Her goal throughout her graduate journey was focusing on her own experiences, biases, and opportunities for growth so that she could meet individuals where they were in their life and be a support. She aimed to make socioemotional wellness and holistic student support the foundation of her life’s work. When asked about the LSU school counseling program, Treacy said, “All the professors were instrumental in my growth as a counselor. The professors were creative in how they structured class, they focus on group dialogue and debate, and they constantly pushed us to practice what we learned in the classroom in the field.”

While in the program, Treacy discovered that she wanted to anchor on her counseling degree as she continued to work in the non-profit field. She specifically appreciated Dr. Jennifer Curry and her attentiveness to her students and their career goals, even if that goal lived outside of the counseling field. The support and flexibility she received from her professors was paramount to her success as she moved back to her home state of Washington and began working for City Year Seattle/King County. City Year as an organization focuses on academic, attendance, and socioemotional support for students from 3rd-10th grade to ensure they are on track and on time to graduate with their classmates. While working for City Year, Treacy held multiple roles that focused on programming and collaborating with students, school partners, AmeriCorps members, and City Year staff to ensure they were providing the best possible service to their communities.

Treacy realized she wanted to explore executive positions in Seattle after working on a senior leadership team that delved into the vision, mission, strategy, and goals of an organization. Now, as the Executive Director of College Possible, Treacy feels that her new role is most aligned with her passion for supporting students, many first-generation and/or students of color. Treacy feels that this new role allows her to maintain her previous connections in the community and expand her scope as well. 
Treacy has a message for current and future counseling students: “What I’d like to share with current counseling students is to first say, thank you. Thank you for committing your time, energy, and talents to a profession that supports mental health wellness. We need more counselors in the world. I’d also ask that you continue to question your biases and assumptions about student/people’s experiences and capabilities. We all come from somewhere and those identities and history have shaped who we are now. Be attentive to ways you need to expand your perspective and constantly learn and listen to others who are different from you. The last thing I’ll share is that regardless of where you end up after getting your counseling degree, stay connected to the focus on socioemotional wellness, holistic care, and empathy.” During her time at LSU, Treacy also worked as a graduate assistant in the Campus Life department. When Treacy is not working or learning, she spends time with family and friends. She lives in West Seattle with her partner Casey and their three furry family members. She also enjoys playing volleyball and coaches at a local high school in Southeast Seattle. 

Learn more about LSU's MEd School Counseling Program.