School counselors are valued professionals, new grad Charisse Atherley answers the call to help youths

Photo Credit: Matt Gush for UMass Global

IRVINE, Calif. (May 23, 2022) – UMass Global graduate Charisse Atherley celebrated the completion of her Master of Arts in Counseling degree on Sunday evening. She committed herself to the degree after experiencing an epiphany in which she realized she wanted to provide today’s youth with the kind of guidance and support she missed out on during her own teen years.

“I want to be a driving force for them, to help them meet their dreams and goals,” Atherley said.

Atherley, who lives in Los Angeles, currently interns for a Los Angeles Unified School District campus in Cudahy attended by students enrolled in all K-12 grade levels. She has observed that many young people adjusting to the post-pandemic future will need to develop skills to effectively advocate for themselves as they prepare for college, work, and adult responsibilities.

“A good majority of them have lost out on some vital socializing skills,” Atherley said.

UMass Global honored more than 1,000 graduates Sunday at Southern California Commencement. Graduates and their loved ones gathered at FivePoint Amphitheatre for the day’s celebration. For the Class of 2022, commencement was more than an occasion to commemorate graduates’ successful completion of an academic program – it was also a time to acknowledge the spirit of resilience and commitment that enabled graduates to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic while earning degrees.

“Together, you have persisted, you persevered, and now you have prevailed,” interim Chancellor David Andrews said. “And in a pandemic, no less. I stand before you in complete admiration of your steadfast determination in these very challenging times.

ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS GLOBAL
Founded in 1958 and accredited by WSCUC, University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global) is a nonprofit affiliate of the University of Massachusetts, committed to helping adult learners change their lives through education. We offer over 55 online programs tailored for workplace relevance — associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, along with teaching credentials, stackable certificates, and authorizations. All UMass Global coursework is 100 percent online, which meshes with the busy lives of our non-traditional students. We are known for attentive student support, accommodating transfer policies, high graduation rates, alumni satisfaction, and low student debt loan default rates. For more information, visit the university’s website.