Lee Bernstein serves with the  Virginia College Advising Corps as a College Adviser at Rappahannock County High School in Washington, VA and is one of the highest performing advisers in Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) history. She not only exceeds expectations in every aspect of her role, but she epitomizes servant leadership in all she does. Starting in August 2020, Lee is the second college adviser to serve Rappahannock County High School. During a time when many school staff and college advisers were discouraged, Lee served her students with efficacy and grit, relentlessly pursuing one-on-one and small group meetings with students to ensure they were supported during an incredibly uncertain time.

Lee has cultivated excellent relationships with school staff, families, and the community alike that results in direct impact, securing nearly $5,000 worth of donations for her annual Decision Day celebrations that honor the postsecondary plans of seniors. She further solidified her place in the school community by participating in virtually all school related events including sports games, dances, and more. Lee’s commitment and service to her school also resulted in her leading this year’s Veteran’s Day program which included a special breakfast for veterans and a keynote from a Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Air Force. She even volunteers with a reading program at the local elementary school!

Lee’s heart for service doesn’t stop with strengthening services in Rappahannock County but extends state and nationwide. She played an important leadership role in a statewide FAFSA assistance initiative with the Virginia College Access Network (VCAN) during the pandemic. She now serves on the VCAN conference planning committee to implement a stellar professional development experience for college access professionals across Virginia. This virtual FAFSA project resulted in a 3.2% increase in FAFSA completions statewide and even  narrowed the FAFSA completion gap for Title 1 schools by 9.4%. Lee provided technical assistance throughout the project, sharing daily updates with project leadership, and volunteering her own FAFSA expertise directly.

Though Lee serves a small, rural community, her impact is substantial and expansive. To start, Lee exceeds the program averages for every key performance indicator our program tracks. Additionally, Lee has held over 1,300 one-on-one meetings with her seniors. Also, over 400 college applications have been submitted in her tenure. Lastly, Lee’s students have earned over $520,000 scholarship dollars and counting. These milestones could not have been possible without the steadfast service Lee has provided to her students over her tenure. Her  students consistently sing her praises.

“As a senior in high school, I was expecting the college process to be very difficult and stressful. Having Ms. Bernstein has made this process so seamless, and she is without a doubt the most helpful person in this building,” Student of Lee Bernstein