Fonda Johnson-Gaddie
Faculty Counselor
LONE STAR COLLEGE
Houston, TX USA
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
First time in college & feeling unsure if I will be successful.
Feeling like I could conquer the world because my friends thought they could too.
Got pregnant a few years after I graduated & became a single mom.
I was able to make it on my own because I had a degree to secure a decent job with good pay to sustain our quality of living.
Decided to go back to graduate school to make more money. My last semester I got married.
Became a counselor and began making 30,000 more because of my MA degree.
Went back to school to pursue a PhD and my 2nd year , my dad died and that rocked my world terribly.
I felt like quitting but i reminded myself that i was not a quitter, I was more than a conquerer. With family, friends and church support I finished!
Education
High School
Doctorate
Christian Leadership
John Wesley University
Christian Leadership
John Wesley University
Career
Faculty Counselor
I work with students in community college setting figure out what to major in and choose the best career suited for them
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Entrepreneurship
Teaching / Mentoring
Day to Day
As a counselor, I don't wait in my office for students to come to me, I go to them. I go to classrooms at the college and do 30 min to an hour presentations on Career Services. I teach students how to create a resumes, how to prepare for an interview, how to choose and explore options for a major, How to search for jobs , what to wear and how to present themselves. I coordinate Job Fairs, Fashion Shows, develop company partnerships. I meet with students one on one in counseling settings.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Sit down with someone that will help you set goal to finish. Set financial goals to secure funds for school. Identify and barriers that could keep you from finishing. Research resources that will help you overcome the barriers. Develop a circle of success (mentors) that will help hold you accountable to your goals.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Doctorate
Christian Leadership
Christian Leadership
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"How can you be sure you are going to get a job when you finish is one of the most consistent negative question I recieved from people I knew.."
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation College Student
