Sharon Holdvogt
High school counselor | Workshop Speaker
Sharon is a college counselor at a high school in Waukegan, IL, where she guides families and students through the entire college application and selection process. Through one-on-one meetings, family presentations and weekly seminars, Sharon educates students and families on the college application process from start to finish.
With a background as an English teacher, Sharon enjoys working closely with her students on their personal essays for college and scholarship applications. Knowing finances are a large influence in the college decision, Sharon assists families through the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and helps them understand award letters. She also provides academic counseling for students in all grade levels and helps select an appropriate course load for every student.
Sharon has over eight years of experience in education throughout the Chicagoland region. While pursuing her graduate degree in education at Loyola University Chicago, Sharon taught middle school English and social studies at a school in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. Throughout her five years there, she assisted students and families in the high school selection and application process.
Prior to her work in Chicago, Sharon completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota. After graduating, she spent two years volunteering at an orphanage, Nuestros Pequenos Hermaños, in Guatemala. There she taught English, founded a young women’s empowerment program and solidified her Spanish. Sharon lives in Chicago and enjoys spending time outside, reading books and going to yoga classes.