![The gallery outside Student Services features flags from various colleges. Covering the likes of Ivy League universities to lesser known schools, the room marks the office of new College and Career Center Specialist Kendel Gilchrest. "The reality is [that] there are amazing colleges and universities that aren’t in the top 20," Gilchrest said. "There [are over] 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States."](https://www.tjtoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/college-and-career-center-1200x658.png)
On Jan. 11, Jefferson introduced its newest facility member, Kendel Gilchrest, to the College and Career Center. Previously, Gilchrest worked in a similar position.
“I used to be the director of career and calling initiatives at a college called Judson College in Marion, Alabama. I came to TJ because the community is so rich here. I love the diversity and I think that TJ is filled with some of the brightest, most brilliant minds of our Fairfax County Public School students,” Gilchrest said.
After being here for a few weeks, she has noticed some major differences between the students she worked with at Judson and the students she works with now at Jefferson.
“At Judson, the students were primarily first-generation college students and they came from a lot of low socioeconomic backgrounds. There’s a bit more privilege at TJ because we live in Northern Virginia. But, our community is shifting a little bit, so that we are having more first-generation college students attending TJ,” Gilchrest said.
Being a Jefferson parent herself, she has some advice that she thinks students should know.
“I think the first thing is that your GPA does not define who you are, nor does it define whether you’ll be happy or successful in life. There [are over] 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States and a lot of students here at TJ only consider these top 20 elite institutions,” Gilchrest said.
For students looking to meet with Gilchrest, her office is room 225 outside the College and Career Center. To see more of her announcements, check out her updates on the College and Career Center Schoology page.