Name: Claire Lustumbo

Degree: ‘18 M.Ed. School Counseling

Current Employer: Clark County School District

How did UNLV prepare you for your career?

Networking through UNLV has been extremely helpful. Not only did they prepare me for my job, but I’m also still friends with many of the cohort members I graduated with, and we bounce ideas off each other. To be able to have those connections that I made through UNLV has been awesome.

Why is having a mentor important?

I think having a mentor, one that is still in the field and still has their feet on the ground, is important because they can be real with you about the struggles you may face, know good problem solving skills, and how to fix things.

What advice do you have for current UNLV students?

I think my biggest piece of advice is putting yourself first and realizing that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Before you get to the field, make sure you know how to set boundaries for yourself and know what makes you feel the happiest and the calmest because the best educators are aware of themselves and happy with themselves first before being able to help others.

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