Esther Hugo’s career speaks for itself. As a journalism teacher, college counselor and then a teacher of college counselors while serving on multiple college counseling boards, Hugo’s talent in her industry shines. At UCLA Extension, the courses she has designed and taught have become a roadmap for aspiring college counselors, helping them evolve and grow in a constantly changing industry. She continues to learn more about the profession and stays up to date on changes in college counseling and admissions, providing her students with the best tools to succeed.

“We’re really challenging students to revisit core concepts and see how they apply to unique professional contexts. It's not about, ‘What did I do today?’ It's more like, ‘Why does this work matter?’” Esther said. “We're trying to show counselors not only how to counsel their students, but to do it with integrity, empathy and expertise. So, we give them a real grounding in current research and application to real-world activities.”

A Los Angeles native, Hugo earned her bachelor’s degree at Immaculate Heart College and a master’s in counseling from Loyola Marymount University. She taught at LMU’s School of Education for 20 years while finishing her doctorate in educational leadership at UCLA.

Hugo began her career at UCLA Extension in 1994, but her college counseling career began a few years earlier, in 1991.

“I taught English and journalism for 17 years with the Los Angeles Unified School District, and I was ready for a change,” Hugo said.

After nearly two decades of teaching and constantly having to hound students about deadlines, Hugo grew tired of it, but these new deadlines were different. When the college counselor position opened at her school, her principal recommended her for it, and she jumped at the opportunity.

“I went into college counseling, which is still all about reminding students about deadlines,” Hugo said jokingly about the transition from journalism deadlines to college admissions ones. “But I loved the shift. I loved the impact.”

Hugo transitioned from her position as a high school college counselor at Westchester High School to teaching college counseling at UCLA Extension.

“I got referred to the UCLA Extension College Counseling Program,” Hugo said. “The RAND Corporation did a study about public schools that were doing an excellent job in terms of preparing students for college, and Westchester High School was one of the schools mentioned. That brought me to UCLA Extension, as well as a colleague who recommended me to teach there.”

Hugo designed four of the original classes taught in the College Counseling Certificate Program and currently teaches the Practicum in College Counseling course. She also served as the academic coordinator for the program, where she interviewed and hired 22 instructors and oversaw the creation of two new courses – one for international and one for transfer counseling.

Today, that reach is truly global. The program’s virtual platform allows Hugo to expand her classroom to the international admissions landscape.

“In my current practicum course, I have students from Saudi Arabia, India, Canada, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Abu Dhabi and all over the U.S.,” Hugo said. “The classroom is a microcosm of the shift and incredible reach of the UCLA Extension College Counseling Program, with the international exchange bringing different ideas. It brings different perspectives and allows us to share research and trends through a truly global lens.”

In addition to her experience at UCLA Extension, Hugo serves, or has served, on the boards of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling, the College Board and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Through these organizations, she has attended many college counseling conferences and presented at nearly every NACAC conference for 22 consecutive years.

“I enjoy the conferences and workshops where we hear from experts about the current trends and issues,” Hugo said. “I think it is really important and allows you to bring what's current, important, critical and changing to your students in the classroom.”

Some of those current topics include the admissions landscape in an AI-driven world, the ethics of helping students with their college essays and the heavy hand that parents can have in their children's college applications. The conferences present her with an opportunity to learn from her peers, collaborate with them and bring this information back to her students.

“I use a lot of my experiences as a college counselor, the lessons I've learned, the workshops I've attended, and I've turned that into lessons and resources and strategies for students,” Hugo said. “It's the continuous learning that renews you and restores you and helps you bring the best possible information and instruction to your students.”

This year marks Hugo’s 32nd year at UCLA Extension, where she continues to bring the best possible information to her students year after year. She prides herself on her longevity with the program and ability to bring what is current and important in college admissions to her students.

“I have a deep belief in the transformative power of education,” Hugo said. “And if I can teach a counseling student a tool that helps a family or a community, that is golden. You’re changing the world by helping people find their path.”