Alyson Tom, Pinewood’s Director of College Counseling and Academic Advising, received a national award in August for her college counseling work.
Presented by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Guiding the Way to Impact award honors counselors and teachers who help students from diverse backgrounds navigate the college admission process. Tom’s work in diversity, equity, and inclusion played a major role in her selection.
“I’ve presented on supporting different populations that are often overlooked, and I think people have started noticing,” Tom said.
Tom, a member of the NACAC, was nominated by the NACAC Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Special Interest Group, a group that includes thousands of high school college counselors, college admission officers, and independent counselors. Above all, the award reflects Tom’s motivation to support her students through college counseling.
“I felt really honored because I don’t do it for recognition,” Tom said. “[I do it] because elevating important issues of marginalized populations is critical.”
Tom is dedicated to providing students with personalized feedback.
Senior Zoe Detrick appreciates Tom’s clear communication. Tom’s knowledge of the college application allows her to choose schools which fit her students.
“I feel like [the award] is well deserved,” Detrick said. “She’s easy to talk to, and she’s really good at helping me pick [schools] out.”
Before joining Pinewood in July 2024, Tom’s advocacy for marginalized populations led her to present at various locations, including a webinar at the Texas Association of College Admission Counselors and a workshop at Stanford titled “Taking a Healthier Approach to College Admissions.” In addition to her presentations, Tom received an award from the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools in 2023.
Tom is grateful for Pinewood’s support in her presentations and conferences.
“Pinewood has supported me financially,” Tom said. “The administration is excited that I like to go out and do these things.”
Tom’s accolades build on the achievements of Pinewood’s Associate Director of College Counseling Carolyn Siegel, whose achievements include a recent master’s degree in education leadership from Harvard Graduate School.
Head of Upper Campus Eve Kulbieda says both counselors bring key strengths to Pinewood’s college counseling program.
“Both counselors are sought-after conference speakers, recently presenting at national conferences and delivering professional development for peer schools,” Kulbieda said. “We are so lucky to have them both at Pinewood.”
