The transition from high school from college can be a difficult one, which is why having support from teachers and staff is so important.

Notre Dame has a new staff member, NWTC career counselor Ryan Stewart, who is here for just that.

“No matter where you are in the process, I am available at NDA to encourage, assist and cheer students towards goals–that’s where the term ‘coach’ comes from,” he shared.

Stewart arrives at NDA with decades of knowledge about planning for after high school and looks forward to helping students plan their futures, which is why NDA decided to bring him onto the staff.

“More than his experience, Ryan Stewart has an awesome personality and really connects well with students, so we knew he’d be a great asset,” explained College Counselor Becky Bain. “Even if a two-year tech college like NWTC is not in a student’s future plan, he is happy to provide resources and point them in the right direction.”’

These resources include helping with scholarships and financial aid questions. Also, if a student is applying to NWTC, Stewart is able to help with their free application and help them transition from an applicant to an admitted student.

He will be at NDA every other Monday starting Monday, September 11, and his goal is to “help students feel confident when it’s time to leave NDA.”

“Some students have solid plans when graduation arrives, and some do not,” he said. “My hope is that everyone has a plan when they leave, whether it’s work, the military, a four-year university or a technical college like NWTC. I want everyone to be confident in their plan.”

Stewart initially started career counseling after graduating from college with a degree in graphic design and feeling “like something was missing” after leaving higher education. 

This led him to become an admissions adviser at his college, where he “absolutely loved his time,” and worked for five and a half years, but felt he needed a change.

This landed him at NWTC, where he will have worked for five years in January. 

“I was introduced to the career coach role at NWTC and was excited to shrink my territory from 175 schools in Wisconsin to just 12 at NWTC. This would allow me to focus on students and less on travel,” said the career counselor. “I have been happy at NWTC ever since.”