All gender identities and sexual orientations are welcome here. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Shannon Bergeron

Founder | CEO | College Counselor

Shannon Bergeron is a seasoned, big-hearted college counselor, marathoner, and queer rights advocate who blends warmth, grit, and expertise — and believes the best college journeys start with one simple idea: be real about who you are.

Her path to this work has been anything but ordinary. She marched drum corps, won a national championship in collegiate indoor drumline, worked with musicians at Vic Firth, traveled solo to Spain at 21, and raised her kids in rural Maine — largely without TV. She's run five marathons, helped run an organic farm and apple orchard, and collected enough unconventional life experiences to know this firsthand: there are many paths to a meaningful life, and the best ones start with authenticity.

Shannon also volunteers with the Matchlighters Scholarship Program, supporting high-achieving, low-income students, and is a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ youth and families. After supporting her own child through transition, she has become a trusted, empathetic resource for transgender and nonbinary students navigating both identity and the college search.

At the heart of it all, Shannon is a guide, a steady presence, and a source of inspiration — helping students find places where they truly belong.

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX


Back in High School: Fully committed nerd. Marching Band, German Club, Physics Club, Calculus Club, and a job at 14 — she was all in before 'all in' was a thing 


Greatest Achievement: Finishing five marathons


Superpower: Getting things done — and always showing up when it matters


A Song That Never Gets Old: Lovely Day by Bill Withers


Favorite Things: The ocean, summer thunderstorms, coffee, sunrise hikes, friends, traveling, dogs, and celebrating her clients' college acceptances


Advice to Students: This is the only time you get these high school years — spend them doing what brings you joy and is most meaningful to you


Advice to Parents: This isn't a prize to be won. Help your student figure out what matters to them and celebrate who they are

Post-Secondary Education: 

  • University of Maine, M.Ed Counselor Education

  • University of North Texas, BBA

Professional Background:

  • LASA High School, Austin, TX, Lead Counselor, 7 years

  • Maranacook Community High School, Readfield, ME, 11th/12th Grade Counselor, 7 years

  • Akins Early College High School, Austin, TX, Counselor, 1 year

  • Waco High School, Waco, TX, Counselor, 1 year

Professional Associations:

IECA - Board Member, NACAC, TACAC, CEP (Certified Educational Planner), Former School-Based Counselor, Matchlighters

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