After his first year working at LT, College and Career Center counselor Cody Dailey received a nomination for “Counselor that Changes Lives” through the Colleges that Change Lives organization. This national award recognizes people in the college counseling profession  who assist students with their college search, and help them create a foundation of success beyond just their degree.

“It really means a lot to me,” Dailey said. “To get that kind of recognition symbolizes that I’m making an impact in some way [and helping] students have a good experience.”

The Colleges that Change Lives organization began as a novel first published in 1996 by Loren Pope, he said. The book highlights various college institutions that are beyond typical ivy-league schools. It offers in-depth profiles of over 40 colleges which focus more on individualized needs, academic standards, and personality matching. This sparked inspiration for the non-profit organization to form under the same name, and dedicate itself to the student’s college selection process. 

“I find that students and families still focus on rankings,“ he said. “We still focus on what’s the highest rank.There’s so much more to the college experience than simply what the best school is, and so the organization really considers [this award] for those who are student-centered.” 

Dailey was nominated for this award by Carin Smith, a Chicago-based domestic recruitment manager of Beloit College. She has over 40 years of experience in the field, and after eight years of knowing him, continues to be impressed with Dailey and his work. 

“Watching what [Dailey] has done at LT from my perspective, is unbelievable,” she said. “As soon as you start talking with him, his brain starts working and thinking ‘OK, what’s going to be the best kind of place for this individual student?.’ He’s transformed the center into a safe space for students.” 

Dailey’s career started by working for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) as a representative that traveled between schools to provide more information about colleges, he said. He then took a position at Joliet Junior College, helping students train for in demand careers, such as nurse practitioners and computer engineers. During this time, he received his masters at DePaul University in school counseling, and transitioned into being a school counselor at various institutions. His continued focus is providing clear and concise information to students and families throughout the college process. 

“I believe that knowledge is power,” Dailey said. “You will notice there is always something going on [in the College and Career Center], whether that be guest speakers, college reps, trade representatives, presentations, new clubs. We just have so much, because I like to put the information out there so that our students feel more prepared at this moment rather than fear.” 

The College and Career center is located in NC room 148, and is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for walk-ins and appointments.