Cheyne Nomura
Registrar & College Counselor
La Pietra – Hawaii School for Girls
What drew you to the world of college admission counseling?
I worked for a brief period as a school counselor, and part of the job was to assist the college counselor with helping students think about what classes to take for the next school year in relation to their college goals. I enjoyed this element of the job as well as counting student credits, so when I applied for the registrar position at La Pietra – Hawaii School for Girls, they asked me if I’d also like to be the college counselor, since my résumé indicated that I had assisted students with this process previously. I knew very little of what to expect, but the college counseling I’ve done so far has been incredibly eye-opening, challenging, and rewarding!
What is your favorite part of the job?
There are too many to list! Here are few:
- I love being a source of knowledge for students and parents about the college application processes and guiding students to make application decisions that are the right fit.
- Once being able to successfully convince a vice provost for enrollment management to turn a rejection to an acceptance.
- The tight-knit community of college counselors here in Hawaii.
- All of the relationships I’ve been able to build with various admissions representatives across the country. Sue Corner from Willamette University (OR) has been a great mentor to me!
How has NACAC played a role in your career?
It’s been a portal to a vast array of resources and discussion boards. I enjoy looking through the NACAC Consolidated Daily Digest that comes through my email every morning to see what questions and concerns other college counselors are experiencing that might also impact or help me. I also hope to be able to attend the NACAC Conference in Columbus, Ohio, this year.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our profession today?
Currently, I think students and parents are intimidated by the idea of the cost of higher education. I’ve had some students choose second-/third-/fourth-choice schools because the ultimate aid package made more financial sense than their top-choice college. Also, while I see the benefits of AI to assist with the application process, I am worried that AI reliance/usage might replace the one-on-one conversations and rapport we college counselors get to build with students and families.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
I love to read mysteries/thrillers and literary fiction (favorite authors = Teddy Wayne, David Nicholls, Celeste Ng, Ellen Marie Wiseman, Shari Lapena), spend time with my wife and 8-month old daughter, and look forward to traveling the world again once she gets older (bucket list = Austria, Korea, Spain, Belgium).
If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why?
Either Molly from the TV show Loot so that I will never have to worry about money while also being able to work with charities, or Kacey Dutton from Yellowstone to just live a secluded life in the beautiful Montana mountains with my family.
Published Feb. 24, 2025