Alma Pizano-Onofre

Alma Pizano-Onofre knows being unsure about what you want to study and changing your major is all part of the typical college experience.  A native of Belvidere, Ill., she changed majors twice at Augustana College before graduating with a double major in French and psychology.

"When I started college, I was a neuroscience major with a pre-medicine concentration," she recalls. "However, sophomore year, I decided I didn’t actually want to be a medical doctor."

As a low-income and first-generation college student, she understands the challenges facing students. And, she says, helping students has been a focus as her career developed.

"I remember the application and financial aid process being confusing and wishing I had more support," she says. "My parents had no experience and couldn’t help me."

After graduating, she worked as a behavior technician at an autism center and then returned to Augustana as an admission counselor.  Now, she’s excited to put her skills and experience to use with future Huskies.

"My role is to be an advocate for my students and their families," she says. "What drew me to NIU was the staff and how much they care about their students and the passion they have to improve the university."

Her best advice for students searching for the right college or university?

• Make a list of what you want from a campus and what you could be OK with not having
• Visit campus to get a feel for the environment
• Most importantly, ask questions!

"There are no dumb questions," she says. "It’s my job as an admissions counselor to guide you through the process."