“I don’t think I could even begin to speculate how many letters I’ve written or transcripts I’ve sent out,” Chad Sisk, college admissions specialist, said.
Over the last three and a half years, Sisk has worked with hundreds of students to prepare them for the college admissions process, but Thursday, Jan. 12, was Sisk’s last day at MHS. His new job is at the University of Kansas, where he’ll recruit students for the School of Engineering.
Sisk made the decision to leave at the end of November, saying he “felt like it was time to move on.”
From Missouri State University, Sisk received a Bachelor of Science in Communication and a Master of Arts in Communication. Before his position at MHS, he spent several years working on college campuses and really loved that environment.
“When the opportunity to take a position at KU came up, I couldn’t pass it up,” Sisk said.
However, Sisk said he was grateful for the experiences he’s had with students and staff.
“The students were talented, and the staff was phenomenal,” Sisk said. “The people have been the best part of the job. I also enjoyed when a student would come to my office and tell me they were accepted to a school they really wanted to attend. Seeing all their hard work pay off for them was very rewarding.”
One such student was Regan Cormak, senior. She frequently conferenced with Sisk, visiting him at least 10 times since she first met with him. In Cormak’s junior year, they discussed what she valued in a college and searched for colleges that she would gain the most from.
In Cormak’s senior year, they worked on her college and scholarship applications. Cormak was accepted in the early admissions cycle with a scholarship to Southern Methodist University. She’ll hear back from the colleges she applied to in April.
“He’s like a partner through the whole journey to college,” Cormak said. “It’s an important process, and he simplified it.”
Through it all, Cormak said Sisk was very organized, knew what he was doing, and provided a lot of insight. All in all, a “great college counselor.”
“I’m going to miss talking to him,” Cormak said. “But I’m excited for his new job, and I wish him luck.”
Associate Principal Paul Burns commented on Sisk’s work.
“I’ve only worked with Sisk for a short period of time, but I noticed he was always personable,” Burns said. “He loves kids, he loves his job, he loves MHS.”
Burns said MHS’s selection for Sisk’s replacement was approved by the Board of Education on Thursday, Jan. 19. Kelly Heissler is the new college admissions specialist. Heissler earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a master’s from Illinois State University, and before MHS, she worked at University of Missouri St. Louis.
“I learned about the job opening in December,” Heissler said. “I was a little nervous during the interview. When I heard I got the job, I was surprised and excited.”
Heissler said she’ll approach her new position with an open-minded attitude.
“I have lots to learn from my co-workers, so I plan to absorb everything I possibly can,” Heissler said. “One of the biggest challenges will be educating myself on all of the colleges, what they have to offer, and how their admissions processes work.”
Heissler said she’s looking forward to meeting the students, and that so far, she’s impressed with the students and staff.
“Everyone seems to be very well-rounded and do great things both inside and outside of the classroom,” Heissler said.
Heissler said she went into college counseling because she wanted to “work with students and help them pursue their goals for life after high school.”