Lesley Tenney

Leslie’s contribution to the Counseling Department, Student Services, and the institution has been and continues to be outstanding. Leslie is an excellent counselor, instructor, mentor, and student advocate. Students seek her out for guidance, counseling and support for all matters including educational planning, personal issues, transfer, career and vocational planning. She teaches Career Development and incorporates the latest trends and research in her curriculum.  She developed and implemented Follow-Up Services which tracked and monitored students on Academic Probation. Every term, Leslie coordinates transfer application workshops for students. She also helps students identify and plan for their career interests and options through the use of assessments instruments.  She coordinates the Mediation Program on campus that helps students productively solve issues among themselves. Leslie also, for the past four years, has coordinated, implemented, and evaluated the in-person Orientation Program for first-time freshman.  Through Leslie’s grant writing efforts, she was able to secure funding to hire student workers to provide new students help with the registration process.  She actively participates on various campus committees (Mental Health Task Force, Assessment Task Force, and Distance Ed Committee) and serves as a faculty mentor for adjunct and new counseling faculty.  She currently serves as the GCFA Grievance Officer and is an active member in the union.  She diligently and assertively advocates for faculty in her role as Grievance Officer.  In the past, Leslie has been the ASB Advisor and Department Chair.  Leslie is committed to her profession development  - recently she completed training in the following areas:  Mental health workshops for Veterans returning to school, Disruptive to Dangerous: Managing Difficult Behavior in Higher Ed., Increasing Self-Efficacy for Behavior Change Anxiety Disorders, Meeting the Needs of Student Veterans with Post Concussive Symptoms (PCS) and Co-occurring Conditions, Using Message Reframing, and Major Depression. She is a member of the American Counseling Association, National Career Development Association, Community College Mental Health and Wellness Association, Faculty Association of Community Colleges, and California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and Programs. Her community involvement includes: Mentor with Rebecca Children's Services in Gilroy: at-risk youth.  Summer, Service learning projects in Zambia with SJSU graduate students (this summer in China), and Fundraising for Leukemia/Lymphoma Society: Team in Training – she completed a marathon!

Darlene del Carmen

Darlene has been a Counselor at Gavilan for many years. She began as a General Counselor and then became the counselor for MESA students. Since 2006, she has been the counselor for the Athletics department. She is very instrumental in working with the student-athletes and staff in a variety of ways:

• Counsels student-athletes on all matriculation matters
• Identifies students' goals and develops educational plans that maximize their potential for reaching these goals
• On the front end of nominating student-athletes for local, state and national academic honors
• Successfully coordinates all academic needs of our student-athletes in regards to the Tutoring Center, Writing Center, etc.
• Successfully identifies student issues or challenges and develops strategies to overcome those issues before they become larger problems
• Teaches the KIN 1 Orientation for Student-Athlete Success course that helps student-athletes transition into college life
• Communicates with the athletic staff regarding regular Progress Reports
• Is actively involved at the state level as a member of the 3C4A
• Is regularly called upon by her peers throughout the state for advice or leadership
• Literally is available 24/7 for support and/or questions by the athletic staff
• Is heavily involved in the recruiting process of the student-athletes

Ron Hannon, Dean of Kinesiology and Athletics, states: “I couldn't imagine what our department would be like without Darlene as part of it.  We are very fortunate to have Darlene work within our staff.  Part of our success is directly tied to her efforts.  She always has the students' best interest in mind”.

In addition to her current role, as well as in her prior roles as a General Counselor and Mesa Counselor, Darlene has been the ultimate professional. She is a knowledgeable, skilled counselor. She actively participates in Counseling Department meetings, attends all trainings, and workshops. Darlene is part of the following professional associations: 3C4A:California Community College Counselors/Advisors Academic Association for Athletics and  N4A:National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics.  Furthermore, Darlene participates in a variety of professional development activities such as: NCAA Interpretations Workshop, ASSETS Report Card Workshop (Academic Support Services Ensuring Transfer Success), SPARS Workshop (Support Personnel Accountability Report Card), NCAA Eligibility and Assessing into Basic Skills Workshop, 2 year College Transfer Athletic Academic Issues Workshop, Scholar Baller Workshop, Div I Transfers, 40/60/80 Workshop, Kinesiology Department, SJSU/Community Colleges, (ELC) Engineering Liaison Council, and Myers-Briggs Career Development Workshop. Darlene is an active parent at her children’s school; she coaches her daughter’s soccer team and volunteers at the local shelter. Darlene is an asset to the institution, Athletics and the Counseling department.