Edward "Eddie" Pickett III Elected to NACAC Board of Directors

Congratulations to Edward “Eddie” Pickett III who was elected to the board of directors for National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Founded in 1937, NACAC is an organization of more than 25,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. Members include college counselors, admissions professionals, school administrators, independent college counselors, community-based organizations, and more.

Eddie’s package of materials for his campaign included that he is most interested in running for the board because of policy work. “I want to change the structure of how we do policy, meaning we currently center the majority that ends up being white males and females instead of those on the margins. I want to change the structure of policy to build equitable practices from the beginning.”

Eddie has been a part of NACAC since 2012 and credits his liberal arts and sciences undergraduate education for transforming his life for the better. One of his goals for the board is to have NACAC reach a broader audience, not just middle-class and upper-class students.

“The average age of an applicant is mid-20s but the way we currently recruit is set up for 18-year-olds. What NACAC can do is get more information out and share resources to all applicants. The benefit of working for an independent school is gathering and sharing information. NACAC can take this information and share it too.”

In an effort toward inclusion, particularly around travel costs that can be prohibitive, NACAC is working on sustaining a hybrid model for future conferences similar to the National Conference that just commenced in Seattle. Additionally, the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC) waived fees for public school counselors and community-based organizations to join the membership.

Eddie also feels that recurring cultural competency training is important for all admission professionals, teaching them to speak to all and not just those who look like them. He cites NACAC’s Guiding the Way to Inclusion, the People of Color Conference, and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity as helpful resources.

Congratulations to Eddie for this important position!