Students and faculty participated in interviews with two candidates for a counselor position at Seward County Community College/Area Technical School. The two finalists for the counseling position were selected by college administrators from a group of five interviewees, and over the course of the last two weeks, a group of students were given the opportunity to have lunch and talk to the finalists. The SCCC/ATS counseling position has been open for more than a month. Nov. 1 and Nov. 8 were the days the students had lunch with the candidates. Dean of Student Services Celeste Donovan and other faculty members participated in separate interviews on the same days students met with the candidates. “It’s exciting having a new counselor join us,” Donovan said. Donovan also coordinated with the group of students who asked questions, had lunch and interacted with counselors. The counseling position became open when Star Triscornia, the previous counselor at SCCC/ATS, left earlier this semester. Some faculty members have had to take on and aid with the responsibilities that deal with counseling. “We have students who are here right out of high school, students who are right out of the military, or are changing jobs, and that affects them,” college president Dr. Duane Dunn said. Dunn met and talked to one of the candidates who came to SCCC/ATS to be interviewed Nov. 8. Five people were selected to be interviewed, and two of the five were chosen to visit campus to talk the students and faculty members. “Seventy percent of our school is first generation, and we need to have someone available to them who can help them through any problems they face,” Dunn said. “I think students need someone that they can go to and talk to.” The new counselor is expected to be selected within the next few weeks, and will begin the position at the start of the spring semester.