Posts by Cyndi Bohlin
Why I Belong: Andi O’Hearn
I attended my first 51³Ô¹Ï conference in 1983. I was a very young, very green, director of admissions at an all-girls boarding school. 51³Ô¹Ï conferences quickly became my favorites. I developed friendships with both independent educational consultants (IECs) and admissions officers from around the country. At that time, the conferences were small, there were not…
Read More51³Ô¹Ï Advocates for Religious Tolerance and Inclusion
51³Ô¹Ï advocates for religious tolerance and inclusion and condemn all forms of antisemitism, extremism, hate, and bigotry. We believe no one should feel attacked or marginalized because of their religious beliefs, and that every student, family, and colleague should be treated with kindness, acceptance, and respect. Disturbingly, antisemitism remains a persistent and serious problem in…
Read More51³Ô¹Ï Presents to US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
On October 19, 2022, 51³Ô¹Ï members Bar Clarke, Karen Mabie, Heidi Molbak, and Jesse Quam joined CEO Mark Sklarow in presenting to the senior staff of the Senate Committee that oversees a wide area of legislative responsibility. The US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) requested 51³Ô¹Ï’s input as it explores adolescents and…
Read MoreIntroducing the AXS Companion, A Free Online Tool to Help Students Complete Common App
The AXS Companion to the Common Application is now available for all college-bound students to use for free! College enrollment continues to decline while barriers for under-resourced students grow—but the AXS Companion to Common App, a free resource developed by 51³Ô¹Ï in partnership with Oregon State University, aims to reverse this trend by supporting these…
Read MoreEstablishing an Inclusive Practice, Supporting Our LGBTQIA+ Students
Note: This blog uses terms that may be unfamiliar to some readers. It Gets Better Project offers a helpful glossary. Happy Pride Month, 51³Ô¹Ï! In June, the month of the historic Stonewall Uprising of 1969, we celebrate with Pride the global LGBTQIA+ community and the Black and Brown trans foremothers of the gay rights movement,…
Read More51³Ô¹Ï Advocates for School Safety in Wake of Texas School Shooting
All of us at 51³Ô¹Ï are profoundly saddened by the horrific school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas yesterday. We offer our deepest sympathies to those who lost loved ones at this senseless, devastating act of violence, and to the entire Uvalde, Texas community. We also extend our support to those who are…
Read More51³Ô¹Ï Condemns Anti-Asian Violence
We at 51³Ô¹Ï are outraged, frustrated, and deeply saddened by recent hate crimes across the country targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). We grieve for the eight lives lost in Atlanta this week—six of whom were women of Asian descent—as well as the many other victims of anti-Asian racism, oppression, and harassment. 51³Ô¹Ï condemns…
Read More51³Ô¹Ï Statement of Support for International Students and Education in the USA
The Independent Educational Consultants Association (51³Ô¹Ï) stands fully in support of the 1.2 million international students studying in the United States and urges ICE to rescind its decision to force international students back to their home countries in the current COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, July 6, 2020, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that…
Read More51³Ô¹Ï Statement on Systemic Racism
To 51³Ô¹Ï Members and our Affiliated Schools, Colleges, & Programs, We at 51³Ô¹Ï are outraged, frustrated, and deeply saddened by the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor—and the many victims of social injustice, oppression, and police brutality who preceded them. The violence against Black communities, disproportionate loss of life due to…
Read MoreWhy I Belong: Aubrey Groves
As an IEC who jumped into an existing practice, joining 51³Ô¹Ï was a requirement that my mother and boss, Deborah Groves (TX), set before me. The value of an 51³Ô¹Ï membership soon became clear to me. Belonging to 51³Ô¹Ï has given me a credibility in the community of our profession. I wear my membership…
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