Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education is proud of the work that our staff do on and off the ice. In order to spotlight the outstanding effort they put into the organization, we regularly interview a staff member about their time with Snider.
Featured in this staff spotlight is LaToya Battle, Alumni Advisor.
What made you want to get into academic advising in the first place?
I decided on a career change about eight years ago from Social Work to School Counseling and really fell in love with the college and career aspect of it. Most of my time as a social worker was spent working with youth and young people, which I really enjoyed, so academic advising was an easy direction to gravitate towards.
How did you first get involved with Snider?
I was finishing up my final semester of Grad School while completing my High School Counseling Internship. My supervisor Liz asked if I’d be interested in working for Snider because she thought I’d be a great fit for the Alumni Advisor role. I’m very thankful that she encouraged me to apply.
What is your favorite part about being an Alumni Advisor?
It’s definitely the relationships I’ve built with my students and seeing that they know that I’m part of their support system. I’m here to them out when they need it, but also celebrate their wins as well.
What is your favorite memory with Snider?
Senior Night. I’ve been with Snider for 4 years now, and my first caseload of students who came in as freshmen graduated this year. Getting to spend time with my students and be with their families while celebrating their accomplishments was so special to me.
What do you feel is an important skill to have to succeed in your role?
Empathy, for sure. You want your students to succeed in all that they do, but sometimes life happens and you’ve got to put their well-being before academics or hockey.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out with their career?
For anyone going into helping professions, flexibility is key. Working with students who have different personalities, learning styles, and might want you to show up in different ways isn’t the same across the board. It might be a learning curve to be able to adapt a working relationship to each student/client, but it really does help with the relationship building piece.
What accomplishment are you most proud of at Snider?
Seeing my student’s successes make me the most proud, whether that’s hitting their goal GPA for the semester, landing an internship they were hoping for, or graduating with a job already lined up. I get to work with some of the most determined young people, and it’s truly inspiring!
