Ms. Luisa Suarez is a vital part of Doral Academy’s faculty, guiding over 500 seniors annually through the college admissions process. 

After studying International Finance and Marketing at the University of Miami, she moved to New York City. There, she pursued Fashion Design and Patternmaking at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Seven years later, Suarez began to work in education.

“I had never considered being a teacher. In fact, a career test that I took in high school matched my interests and abilities to a career as a teacher, counselor, psychologist, etc… but I totally dismissed those results. It wasn’t until much later following the encouragement from my best friend that I tried teaching, just to see if it was for me. From the moment I stepped into a classroom, there was no turning back. I knew that this is what I was meant to do.” 

Suarez loved teaching middle school Language Arts, specifically teaching ESOL students as she enjoyed seeing their growth in the English language. After teaching for 13 years, she realized she wanted to continue working with students, but individually. She recalls, “I enjoyed talking to students and I felt I had the compassion and understanding to make a difference in the lives of students.”

After a colleague suggested she should become a counselor, she completed a Specialist Degree in School Guidance and Counseling within a year. When an opportunity opened up at a high school, she began her new career as a high school counselor.

“That was 18 years ago and it has truly been the most rewarding time as an educator!”

Now, she works as Doral Academy’s iconic CAP (College Assistance Program) Counselor. 

Suarez states that the most motivating aspect of her job is constantly staying updated and being the best resource for all her students to ensure their success. She proudly states that her number one goal is to be accessible to students: “That is why I have an open-door policy and encourage students to reach out to me via visits to my office, email, scheduled meetings, and most recently, via Zoom.” She prioritizes her accessibility because she understands how overwhelming the college process can be and she wants to help students in every step of the way. Suarez states that the most difficult detail of being a CAP counselor is feeling as if she has not been able to reach all her students, specifically her seniors. 

As for her advice, she stresses students to not wait until the last minute. Suarez explains, “The ‘road to college’ begins the moment they start high school. Students need to make it their business to ask questions, research opportunities and options. When they know their ‘target’, they will not miss the ‘mark’.” Underclassmen should invest time in learning about different requirements and options for all of the schools they are interested in. 

Ms. Suarez truly wants all students to understand that “they should never feel limited by the college they must ultimately attend.” If a student is not accepted into their dream school, it does not mean they will not be successful. She shares, “It is what they do with all the opportunities it offers that makes the difference in their success and their life.”

One of her greatest joys is when seniors tell her about when they have been accepted to a school, especially if it was a school they were striving for, but she has countless amazing memories with this year’s senior class.

She finishes off by saying the following: “The most heartwarming have been those times I have had great conversations with students that have come to my office for a simple question, or a meeting, the times when I have been in the classroom presentation and I can see that my ‘message’ was received, the times students see me in the hallway and smile because they know I care, the times students let me know they ‘got in’ to a school, and the list goes on.  I know that I am so very lucky to ‘do what I love’ so each moment with my students is all part of ‘loving what I do’.”