Meet Nita June | Independent College Counselor and Mentor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nita June and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nita, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was inspired to establish June College Counseling after spending many years as a full-time high school teacher and in the school admissions world, I saw more and more high school students anxious, burnt-out, frustrated and confused about their future and current state of education. As a teacher, I could only do so much. But in my current work, I am able to counsel, mentor, guide, and coach young adults to gain confidence in themselves and clarity in and trust of the future that awaits them. In this role, I see students holistically. Although I have my methodology and systems, I do not come to my work with young adults with a predetermined agenda or “set path.” And this is what I feel is lacking in many of today’s educational institutions. Much of public education is black and white, right and wrong. But life is not that! I support my students to relax into the beautiful journey of creating a life worth living.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am proud to have built my currently thriving business up slowly but surely over the years through consistent and authentic care for my students and families. Through my work with young adults, I am able to build truly lovely relationships. The work lends itself to openness and trust, as the college application process, and the years in high school beforehand, can be times of stress and major change. In my training for this work, much focus was given to best business practices, marketing, contracts, order and process of work — all wonderful and important elements – but not much was given to what I consider to be the vital element of this work: empathy. By empathy, I mean the ability to relate and connect to what an individual (young adult in my case) is experiencing and guide them through “the muck” to first clarify and then reach their goals. My former work and training as an actor and director lends itself to this! I feel I am able to truly see my students “on their life stage”, and then cast, coach, and support them to give an award-winning “performance.” The growth of my business has not always been easy. As I am sure many solo entrepreneurs can relate, it can be challenging to trust enough in yourself to take the leaps and make the decisions — on your own — that are crucial to success. The pandemic was actually a game changer for me and the expansion of my work to supporting students virtually as well as in person, but this transition was a scary one at first! That, and a move during the pandemic to a different state, were all big questions that led to decisions that, in the end, actually only strengthened my business model and services.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I used to live in Santa Barbara, but now live just outside of Boulder, the town I grew up in, in Louisville, Colorado. If I had a friend come and visit me, we would start the day out by taking a walk through the Open Space trails near my home, then swing by the Farmer’s Market, then head to Moxie Bread Co (besssst ever baked goods and coffee!), then head to the mountain trails in Boulder for some more active fun. We may stop to tube down Boulder Creek, hit up some of the epic happy hour spots in Boulder (Rosetta Hall, The Rio Grande, The Cork) then return to my house for an evening under the stars by my outdoor fire pit and fountain with my doggies.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Emma Rollin Moore

Website: ww.NitaJune.com

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/june-college-counseling-louisville?osq=College+Counseling