Meet the Authors

Corine Fitzpatrick, Ph. D., a licensed NYSTATE psychologist and mental health counselor, has over 20 years of experience in K – 12 education including work as a high school teacher, a counselor, and a psychologist. Recognizing early in her career the importance of college advising for inner city students, she developed some of the strategies that form the basis of this book including the first Teacher-Advisor system in a New York City Catholic School. Currently, she is a professor in the School of Education at Manhattan College in New York City; she is the chair of the Graduate Programs in School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy. In 2009, she was the recipient of a $400,000 grant focusing on innovative College Advising activities for high school students in New York City and on the enhancement of the expertise of counselors to provide best practices in college advising through professional development courses. In 2015, she partnered with Yonkers Public Schools in a 7 year GEAR – UP grant (Gaining Early Education and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) that has focused on a cohort of their school students, following them from 8th grade through first year in college. She is also a member of the Board of NEWYORKEDGE (https://newyorkedge.org/), a non-profit that works with over 30,000 middle school and high school students to bridge the opportunity gap among underserved students.

Kathleen Costantini, MA, has over twenty-five years experience as a teacher, administrator and college advisor in diverse, urban school settings. As the Social Studies chairperson at Notre Dame School in Manhattan and at St. Peter’s Preparatory School in Jersey City, she was responsible for curriculum in grades 9 – 12 and implemented Advanced Placement and honors classes. Later, she was the chairperson of the Language Arts (K – 12) department at Marymount School in Manhattan where she coordinated the school-wide English and reading program. Kathleen was also the Assistant Director of College Advising at Regis High School in New York and the Director of College Advising at Marymount School. As a consultant at In-Tech Academy (MS/HS 368, NYC DOE) in the Bronx, New York, she assisted in the development of study skills and college advising programs as well as the formation of a school-wide advisory system. Kathleen is a guest lecturer at Manhattan College where she has taught graduate classes in Professional Writing and Counseling the College Applicant. In addition, she has a private practice assisting students and their families in the college search and application process. Most recently, Kathleen is the author of An Allegheny Triumph of Justice, Carrie Williams’ Courageous Fight for Equal Rights in the Early Jim Crow Era (35th Star Publishing).