Why I Belong: Heather Bandura

Over 30 years ago, I remember walking into a musty cinder block residence hall with my dad on the Gettysburg College campus, not knowing a soul. My roommate, an international student, had already arrived and hung fly tape near our window, a remedy for the fresh fertilizer in the perfectly manicured flower beds planted to undoubtedly impress parents. I was a Southern California girl from a small Catholic all-girls high school who had flown across the country into rural Pennsylvania. There were no Instagram-perfect roommate matches, no welcome weeks, no pre-college orientations. You simply showed up and figured it out.

In 2023, I encountered those seem feelings of exhilaration and fear as I decided to embark on my journey as an independent college counselor after a 25-year career in public relations, branding, and educational/advancement marketing. I had the education, thanks to the UCLA College Counseling Certificate Program. I had the passion as I loved working with teens and worked with an independent college counselor in the 1990s who was the catalyst for helping me discover Gettysburg College in the pre-Internet era. But I lacked hands-on experience, community, and support—the true keys to make me a confident counselor. So much about the college counseling profession is in the details. How often have we heard or said the phrase “it depends”? Classroom curriculum, books, articles, and webinars can only teach you so much. The best knowledge comes from colleges and your colleagues—and that is why I joined IECA.

Through IECA, I have been able to become actively involved in my local regional group. I was very fortunate early on to have a mentor—shout out to Cindy McCormick—who introduced me to the Orange County group. Everyone was so kind and generous, welcoming me with open arms. I jumped in with both feet immediately, helping to set up a group text and attending local meetings. It is such a relief when attending a conference or college admission event to instantly know people in the room. This year I will be working with my local regional group to help coordinate admission representative speakers at our monthly meetings so we can collectively learn about unique programs, admission advice, and campus life at some of our students’ most coveted universities.

One of my favorite parts of this job are college tours, and IECA’s campus tours are another huge benefit of membership. Every detail is handled, and you gain insight and access you simply wouldn’t get traveling solo. But the real magic happens on the long bus rides and in the late-night lobby conversations, connecting with fellow IECs who understand the exact challenges you wrestle with every week. That kind of professional development doesn’t come from a class or a podcast. I still have a group text with the women from my first tour. We’re scattered across different states and don’t talk often, but I know I can call on them anytime I need to think through a tricky case or just vent.

At the last Catholic school I worked at, our motto was “Always Learning.” IECA is the embodiment of that philosophy. No matter how many years we have under our belt, how many campuses we have toured, or the number of scholarship dollars earned for our students, IECA allows us independent counselors to continue to expand our knowledge, make connections, and serve our students and families better! Thirty years ago, I walked in my college dorm not knowing a soul and having to pave my own path. Thanks to IECA, I now never have to walk down the path alone.

By Heather Bandura, IECA Associate (CA)