Lifetime Achievement in Counselling winner - José Olavo de Amorim

How does it feel to win the Lifetime Achievement Award at the first ever Global Counsellor Awards?

It was such a great honour and it has given me an immense sense of accomplishment and pride. It is a historic moment for me, my family, my school, my students and my country. This recognition of my lifetime achievement means a lot to me in the context of my incredible 50 years of service with the same school and in the same year that the school is turning 80.

Tell us a little bit about your career background and how you became a school counsellor

I started working for Colégio Bandeirantes as an English teacher in 1975.

Back then I was often called upon by the principal or by the academic registrar to assist parents, and sometimes students, who needed documentation in English or to help them find schools abroad. Most of them were at high school level because the family was moving for work reasons or, in a few cases, moving for grad studies. Very few would ask about undergrad studies.

In 1987, I was chosen to be the head of the English language department. That was the beginning of a revolution in English teaching at the school, because the aim was to offer a solid language programme that would effectively develop all four language skills so students could become fluent and confident to take international exams, thus paving the way to studying abroad. 

By the late 1980s, the school senior leadership envisioned opening up the school to the world, and in 1990 the international/college counselling department was created. Bandeirantes started partnering with higher education institutions, namely Foothill College (US), Mohawk College (Canada), the University of Queensland (Australia) and the Kake Educational Institution (Japan). For several years, we had groups of students and teachers visit those institutions to learn more about language and culture development. That was the big wake-up call for universities abroad. 

The first acceptance I can recall was a student from the class of 1984 who was admitted to MIT. And yet, until 1998 there was about one applicant abroad a year.

From 1999 onwards, more students started applying internationally. I did college counselling while also teaching and coordinating the English department.

During that time, I also helped with the SAT administration at graded school, having been invited by its school counsellor, who was my great mentor and inspiration.

In 2010, Bandeirantes was established as an SAT test centre and, years later, an ACT test centre as well, which I also supervised. The school was also a centre for the IELTS exam for a number of years, administered by the local British Council office. I recall the difficulties of communicating with universities and colleges, because everything was done by post or by fax machine until the internet came into existence. 

In 2011, I was admitted to the Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling (OACAC, now the IACAC).

From 2017 on, based on a decision from the directors, I became exclusively dedicated to college counselling. 

Throughout these years, I have had the privilege of visiting many universities, mainly in the US and Canada, sometimes participating in mock applications, as well as welcoming hundreds of universities to my school. 

As a leading school, our work has become known and recognised more and more. Even today, we receive counsellors from other parts of Brazil who want to get to know our work, many of them at the beginning of their careers. The pioneering spirit came from a time when it was unheard of for high school students to pursue higher education abroad. 

Making it possible for students to come into contact with universities at the very beginning of the 1990s was a way of bringing international education closer to private secondary schools – at that time, this would be offered only by local international schools. 

Today you will hardly find a private school in Brazil without a college counsellor. 

How has school counselling changed since you first started working as a counsellor?

Back then counsellors had limited information about access to specific universities – if any – as everything would come via snail mail.

To meet deadlines, postmarks would be accepted as proof. Hardly ever did universities visit us. The internet has changed the whole scene.

Also, very few students would consider undergrad studies abroad. It seemed that was too far away from reality. They’d think of higher education abroad only for grad studies. Everything has changed in the last two decades. 

What are your hopes for the counselling profession in the future?

Counselling goes beyond providing information about universities or working on a college list; it implies empathy, a human touch and approach, and a concern about mental health that I think cannot be replaced by any artificial device.

My hopes are that schools continue to value the importance of counsellors and the impact of their work on students’ lives. 

How have you continued to develop as a counsellor throughout your career?

I have done several things: interacting with admissions officers, visiting university campuses, attending in-person and online webinars, gaining critical thinking on counselling through books such as Who Gets In and Why, David and Goliath, Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be, and completing accreditation programmes such as THE CAP, and THE CAP II. 

I also joined the International Association for College Admission Counseling. 

Tell us about some of your proudest professional moments throughout your career

The brilliance of our students leads them to outstanding schools and thus to excellent acceptances. All of these acceptances make me feel most proud.

I have been accumulating several beautiful successful stories throughout these decades. And yet I’d love to mention three.

The first is the achieving the Frederick Emmons Terman Scholastic Award from Stanford School of Engineering along with my student, who was among the top 5 per cent of students completing a double major in electrical engineering and physics in 2014. 

The second was winning the Yale University Educator Recognition Award for Outstanding Dedication to Students. The third was winning the Lifetime Achievement in Counselling Award from BMI/THE. These show that my career choices were well made. Everything has been so rewarding that I’d do them again. Undoubtedly my life is worth living, even in the midst of hard times and struggle. Nothing replaces this beauty and joy. 

What are the most important qualities that a school counsellor should have?

Empathy and compassion, being a good listener, open-mindedness, interpersonal skills, genuine interest in others, patience, confidence, trustworthiness, flexibility and a sense of humour. 

Counsellors shouldn’t pretend to know or have all the answers, should focus on building good connections and collaborating with school senior leadership and parents, and connect with national and international professional associations to continue learning. 

What sort of trends are you seeing in counselling within your region? Are students applying to any new countries, are any new counselling techniques or initiatives being adopted?

My students’ first choices are US and Canadian universities, but I’ve seen a growing interest in universities in Europe for two main reasons: they are more affordable and a good number of students now hold dual citizenship. More courses are being offered in English, which opens new doors and possibilities. 

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining the profession?

It is a fascinating profession that connects you to the world and to outstanding counsellors all over, but there are challenges and obstacles that can come from different directions.

Life is not all roses, so I’d recommend: self-reflection, collaborating with stakeholders, validating your students’ feelings and aspirations, celebrating achievements, pursuing continuous learning and development opportunities – never stop learning: no certificate will guarantee knowledge and work quality forever and your actions should speak louder than your words. Lead your students to stardom, not yourself!

What does being a school counsellor mean to you?

I am fully aware of my responsibility to guide the students through the process and to equip them with the skills and resources they need to thrive and shine in college and beyond, to support and encourage them, particularly during stressful times. And that is the passion that has driven me throughout the years and makes me still young at heart. When I say it is the air that I breathe I do mean it.