Vasconcello's education odyssey
Tracey Tate
Issue date: 5/14/09 Last update: 5/18/09 at 11:10 AM PST
Section: Features
Professionally, Vasconcellos has focused on education since the beginning of her career. In 1990 she started as a vocational evaluator for special education high school students in the Hayward Unified School District. Her work with adults students began at the Eden Area Regional Occupational Program where she wrote several grants and partnered with community based organizations to serve adults seeking vocational training.
In 1997 she worked at as a counselor in private practice where she saw individuals, couples, families and facilitated a group for women with chronic illnesses, while at the same time working as a counselor at Chabot College. She also worked in EOPS and CalWORKS and provided mental health counseling while at Chabot College.
Prior to coming to Laney in November 2008, Vasconcellos spent several years at Berkeley City College (formerly Vista College) in various counseling positions. In 2001 she started at Vista College as a CalWORKS Counselor/Coordinator and then EOPS Counselor. During her tenure at Berkeley City College, she authored approximately 20 courses in Human Services, which led to Social Services Paraprofessional and Community Health Worker programs. She continued to write grants at both Chabot College and Berkeley City College, focused on integrating student services and instructional programs to provide holistic programs for students. She was also the Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Coordinator at BCC.
Said Vasconcellos: "Having the opportunity as Department Chair of Counseling and Program Chair of the Social Services Program allowed me to span both student services and instruction--one of my main goals in working in education is breaking down the silos of instruction and student services and developing integrated systems that support and foster student success."
The biggest challenge Vasconcellos has faced since starting at Laney College has been supporting students through the recent financial aid crisis that affected the entire district. While Laney was proactive in providing emergency loans for students, many faced the dire consequences of possible eviction, loss of utilities and a host of other financial problems.
In 1997 she worked at as a counselor in private practice where she saw individuals, couples, families and facilitated a group for women with chronic illnesses, while at the same time working as a counselor at Chabot College. She also worked in EOPS and CalWORKS and provided mental health counseling while at Chabot College.
Prior to coming to Laney in November 2008, Vasconcellos spent several years at Berkeley City College (formerly Vista College) in various counseling positions. In 2001 she started at Vista College as a CalWORKS Counselor/Coordinator and then EOPS Counselor. During her tenure at Berkeley City College, she authored approximately 20 courses in Human Services, which led to Social Services Paraprofessional and Community Health Worker programs. She continued to write grants at both Chabot College and Berkeley City College, focused on integrating student services and instructional programs to provide holistic programs for students. She was also the Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Coordinator at BCC.
Said Vasconcellos: "Having the opportunity as Department Chair of Counseling and Program Chair of the Social Services Program allowed me to span both student services and instruction--one of my main goals in working in education is breaking down the silos of instruction and student services and developing integrated systems that support and foster student success."
The biggest challenge Vasconcellos has faced since starting at Laney College has been supporting students through the recent financial aid crisis that affected the entire district. While Laney was proactive in providing emergency loans for students, many faced the dire consequences of possible eviction, loss of utilities and a host of other financial problems.
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