Crafton Hills College Counseling Recognized for Innovation

Publish Date: Sept. 12, 2025

The Crafton Hills College (CHC) Counseling Department has been recognized by California’s Career Ladders Project (CLP), an organization that partners with colleges “to discover, develop, and disseminate effective practices… [that] enable more students to attain certificates, degrees, transfers, and career advancement” (Career Ladders Project website).

In its September 12 edition of the Equitable Counseling newsletter, CLP highlighted CHC’s innovative approach to reimagining counseling and student support. Rather than grouping students by major, CHC now organizes students by unit-based milestones—0–14, 15–29, 30–44, and 45–60+ units. This model allows counselors to provide proactive interventions at critical points in a student’s academic journey, shifting the focus from reacting to challenges to offering timely, targeted support that keeps students engaged and progressing toward their goals. This approach has transformed counseling from reactive to proactive, increasing counselor to student contact by 1,835 from spring 2021 to spring 2025 and raising the percentage of students with a counselor-approved educational plan from 31% to 76% in just three years. 

To implement this model, the department also created the Completion Coach position, filled by former CHC students who have transferred to four-year universities. These coaches provide peer-based guidance and support, helping students navigate the milestones with encouragement and actual experience. Completion Coaches are recent Crafton graduates who return while completing their bachelor’s degrees, serving as a near-peer bridge to help students overcome administrative barriers, connect with campus resources, and stay on track toward transfer or graduation. The innovations within counseling have also fostered stronger collaboration with student support services across campus, creating a truly student-centered network of care. Workshops such as “Me and My Major,” “Show Me the Money,” and application support sessions routinely draw dozens of students, demonstrating the model’s success at engaging students outside of traditional counseling appointments.

Dean of Student Services & Counseling, Dr. Ivan Peña, credited the recognition to the collective efforts of both leadership and counselors. He expressed gratitude to CHC President Dr. Kevin Horan and Vice President of Student Services Dr. Delmy Spencer for fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, noting that Dr. Spencer’s “vision of transforming Student Services from a transactional model into one that is truly transformational” has been embraced by the counseling team. While proud of the progress that has been made, Dr. Peña emphasized that the recognition truly belongs to the counselors, who have done the hard work, remained open to change, and placed students at the center of everything they do. “Every student at Crafton Hills now knows they have a dedicated team invested in their success,” said Dr. Peña. “That sense of belonging and sustained engagement is what drives equity and completion.”