Faculty Spotlight - Jen Beros

In January, Jen Beros received the F.J. O'Neill Chair in Guidance and Counseling. This profile, along with 3 other US teachers, was published in the 2016-2017 Philanthropic Impact Report.

The original F.J. O’Neill Chair in Guidance and Counseling was presented to Margaret Mason in 2001. At that time, Margie was the “quietly inspiring” leader of guidance and counseling at University School, and took her role of ensuring that “every boy is known and loved” seriously. Today, our boys are fortunate to have Jennifer Beros, director of College Counseling, following in Margie’s footsteps.

“There is nothing more rewarding as an educator than to see the growth our students make during the college selection process,” says Jen. “It is a real privilege to help them through the excitement, stress, uncertainty, and joy of this journey.”

Jen came to US in 2011 after eight years at Laurel School, where she taught history and life skills and was the associate director of College Counseling. She was particularly interested in working for US, not only because of its reputation as an outstanding academic institution but also because its college counseling program was growing, which was an opportunity for her to tap into her own creativity. After helping launch a new college counseling course shortly after her arrival, Jen has risen to the director position and spearheaded the development of several new initiatives.

The new programming begun under Jen’s watch includes College Counseling Boot Camp, a week in August for rising seniors to complete all of their applications. This markedly decreases the boys’ anxiety in the fall, allowing them to focus on academics and school activities. Another initiative the boys have found to be incredibly helpful is course Jennifer Beros registration advising. Every spring, for four weeks, a member of the college counseling department is available in the upper commons for “walk-ins” as boys plan their US course selections for the next year. The counselors help students choose academic courses, extracurricular activities, athletics, leadership opportunities, and volunteer programs with an eye toward their eventual college applications. The office has also added meetings for parents of freshmen and juniors to help answer questions surrounding college selection and is currently performing a total assessment of all communications to grades 9-12 throughout the year.

“The pace of change in the college admissions world is incredible,” says Jen. “That’s the most exciting part of all of this for me, and I want to make sure I’m on top of the changes for the boys.” To that end, she is using some of the funds from the O’Neill chair to earn a micro master in leading school change from the University of Michigan. Jen also uses funds to visit colleges throughout the year, increasing University School’s visibility, as well as learning about the colleges so she can share that information with US students.

The most rewarding part of the job for Jen, and some would say most important, is the opportunity to help US students learn who they are, what they want out of college, and how to navigate the emotions of the college selection process. “There is more anxiety around choosing a college now,” she says. “With all the pressure students today are facing, I want our boys to learn how to talk to others about their decisions. They need to know they can be as private or as public as they want about this journey – it’s ultimately their choice alone. Setting boundaries is a life skill.

"While 100% of US graduates attend college, we realize that our mission is unfulfilled if they are not young men of character who can make moral decisions within a framework of honesty, respect for self and others, and care for one’s fellow man."