Heidi Echeverria
Admissions & Recruitment Coordinator
Portland Community College (OR)
What drew you to the world of college admission counseling?
As a graduate assistant, I was part of an initiative that reviewed college transcripts and interviewed students who were “swirling” between state universities and community colleges in the 1980s and 90s, only to discover most students never completed their degrees. This was my introduction to college admissions as well as the messaging we share and the work we do with students. I am happy this research informed the collaborative work being done between universities and community colleges in my state. My involvement with that initiative, along with experience in higher education teaching and workforce development, made me excited to pursue the college admission profession.
What is your favorite part of the job?
Helping students discover college opportunities and financial resources they did not know existed. Community colleges, or two-year colleges, offer short-term certificates, transfer degrees, and affordable training options that many students are not aware of. So much emphasis is placed on four-year bachelor’s degrees and going to a university or four-year college, but those conversations miss the students interested in careers that have six-month, one-year, and two-year training options. I enjoy having those conversations and helping students and their families learn about affordable ways to complete these educational options.
How has NACAC played a role in your career?
Through joining NACAC I have become more involved in advocacy efforts at the state and national level. I have learned a lot about the nuances of educational funding and how we can actively tell our stories to help state legislators and congressional members better understand the needs of our students, programs, and institutions. The stories of our students and our profession fuel the work that is done in our state and national capitals.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our profession today?
I believe the cost of higher education is the greatest challenge facing students and families, and it is the greatest challenge facing institutions, as we operate with budgetary challenges and constraints as well. But…this is where we can continue to raise our voices in the halls of our state legislatures and with our congressional delegates who help fund education and vital programs. They represent our public institutions, our families, our students, and us.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
I love to ski during the winter and spring months, then travel and go camping in the summer months.
If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why?
I would be Miss Honey from Richard Scarry’s “Great Big Schoolhouse.” She was the motherly brown bear schoolteacher in Busytown.
Published Oct. 19, 2026