College Counseling

List of 4 members.

• 

  Melissa Lanctot 

  Director of College Counseling

  (206) 326-7758

  Bio

  Melissa Lanctot, Director of College Counseling started at the Bush School in the fall of 2008 after having worked for eight years in undergraduate admissions as the Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at New York University and Director of the Visitors Center at Columbia University. Melissa’s work managing tour guide programs and campus events in addition to chairing admissions committees, led her to make the jump from admissions to college counseling where she has been able to dive fully into her passion for working with students. As the Director of College Counseling at Bush for the past decade-plus, Melissa has counseled over 600 Upper School juniors and seniors in addition to serving on various committees and organizations both in and outside of Bush. Melissa loves her role of launching students into life after Bush and possesses a deep commitment to both student agency and social and emotional well-being.
• 

  Rebecca Delacruz-Gunderson 

  Upper School English and College Counseling

  Bio

  Rebecca is thrilled to be back at Bush as both College Counselor and Upper School English Faculty. After working as the Coordinator of College Counseling and Student Success for the 2019-2020 school year and teaching Bush's Writing the College Essay class for two consecutive summers, she served as Field Director for T'wina Nobles' 2020 State Senate campaign, spoke at Town Hall Seattle after publishing work from a writing class for mixed race women, and began her MA in English Literature at the University of British Columbia.
  A graduate of Williams College, Rebecca studied for one year at the University of Oxford and worked briefly in Singapore— experiences that inspired her to serve diverse communities of people and eventually return to her Washington roots. Although her disparate experiences over the past four years in three countries across two continents may initially seem like a smattering of unconnected dots, they can be traced into a single constellation, bonded by her enthusiasm for connecting with students through language. Her love of words and the power that they carry is precisely what ties together her two roles so seamlessly: whether she's in the College Counseling office or in the classroom, she's always willing to discuss, write, or chat. A former collegiate runner and lifelong hiker, Rebecca is happy to be back in land of mountains, forests, lakes, and ocean, and she can be found at local bookstores and vegan restaurants on the weekend.
• 

  Michelle Naito-Lo 

  Associate Director of College Counseling

  Bio

  Michelle joins Bush from the Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School in Michigan, where she served as an Associate Dean of College Counseling. Prior to Cranbrook, Michelle worked in Occidental College's admission office as the Senior Assistant Dean of Admission and Coordinator of International Recruitment which included spearheading DEI efforts in her final years. During her time in admission, she worked for a year in China as an admission officer embedded in InitialView's Beijing office where she conducted interviews as a way to determine English proficiency beyond a standardized exam. At both Cranbrook and Occidental, Michelle has committed herself to nurturing close relationships with students and their families and the development of her deep passion for diversity and inclusion work. She is excited to partner with students as they navigate what comes after Bush.
• 

  Margaret Manning 

  Upper School Coordinator of College Counseling and Student Success

  Bio

  As an alum herself, Meg is excited to be back in the Bush community taking on the role of the Coordinator of College Counseling and Student Success for the 2022-2023 school year. After graduating from Bush, Meg decided to go east to earn her BA from Hamilton College in Geosciences with a minor in Environmental Science. In her current position, Meg assumes communication with the Ninth and Tenth Grade families, coordinates college visits to the school, and helps over 150 college admissions representatives navigate the campus while upholding strong partnerships between Bush and their respective universities. Meg also acts as the AP Coordinator, and helps students navigate the exam process if they wish to pursue AP credit.
  
  
  Outside of College Counseling, Meg works with the Junior Cascade Internship Program as a Program Coordinator, helping students find potential internships in the local area, practice networking skills, and gain real life work experience. When not in the College Counseling office, you can find Meg on the Ultimate field head coaching for the boys' varsity team.