Hello, I’m Andrea Cova-Bernal
I'm a dedicated college access counselor who creates spaces where life, education, and hope become an everyday dialogue. I am a private college success consultant, committed to supporting first-generation and low income students with their college application and college success journey. I never want money to get in a students way of getting quality counseling. Everyone deserves a spot in college and I’m determined to help my students get there!
Are you a first-generation student who has questions about your a college applications or college journey?
Contact Me
Bio
Hello! I am so glad you’re here!
Whether you’re a student, parent, or counselor- I’m here to help.
I formally began my career in College Access in 2009 after teaching kindergarten and first grade for a few years. Since then, I have worked for several non-profit organizations in los angeles, helping them create, build, and grow sustainable College Access, Scholarship, and Alumni programs.
I am a proud graduate of Occidental College where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Critical Theory and Social Justice and Psychology. I then went on to earn my Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of La Verne. During my time at Oxy, I served as the director for a women's empowerment program called WYSE (Women and Youth Supporting Each Other), conducted research in Costa Rica as Richter Grant recipient, and was a co-recipient of the Mortal Board Award for the Promotion of the Status of Women. I served as a member of Oxy's Council of Equity and Justice in 2022 and 2023 and was recently elected President of OCLAA (Occidental College Latino/a Alumni Association) where I will be working alongside two professors on an Oral History Project.
I love my job! I currently work for College Match Los Angeles as the High School Program Director. And I also work with a cohort of students each year as their primary college access counselor. I started the College Match Podcast in 2020, where I thoroughly enjoyed sharing a glimpse of CMLA students' incredible stories.
I am a Venezuelan American originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I believe in the power of storytelling, which is why I started Inspired Conversations- a space for amazing change-makers in higher education to share their personal journey and inspire others.
Here’s just a little about me.
Podcasts
Every student has a story and every college is looking for a star student. The College Match podcast will introduce you to some of the most powerful student stories coming out of greater Los Angeles. What can our young generation, also known as Generation Z, teach us about grit and perseverance? What motivates our youth today? What does it mean to be “college ready” in this day and age?
Join me as I unpack these questions through powerful interviews with some of LAs young future leaders, working towards positive change inside and outside of the classroom. In this podcast, I will introduce you to some of the challenges and obstacles students of this generation are facing while they navigate the daunting process of college applications and making college decisions. In addition, you will learn about some of the powerful contributions they are making in their community through innovative projects, advocacy, and student-led collaboration. This podcast will leave you feeling inspired, motivated and you may even relate to some of these incredible student stories.
Tune in here!
This unique podcast features some amazing change-makers in higher education. As a College Access Counselor, it's not just the incredible students who've inspired me, but it’s also the collaborative partners, professors, admissions counselors, and staff who have powerful stories of their own.
I started "Inspired Conversations" because I wanted to help share their stories too, while also offering some helpful advice about the College Application process.
I truly believe in the power of storytelling and connecting through shared narratives. In addition to featuring my guest’s powerful stories, each session will also include a Q&A segment where students, parents, and audience members can ask questions about the college application process and/or student experiences as it relates to the given topic.
I designed this podcast for people at all levels of the college journey- especially if you identify is First Generation, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color), LGBTQ+, or who identify with any other diverse community. Students in high school, grad school, adult-learners, and parents/siblings of students applying to college are all welcome. YOUR STORY MATTERS and YOU DESERVE YOUR SPOT IN COLLEGE!
Tune in here!
Resources
Coming Soon!