2023 Counselor of the Year Award Recipient Announced

ANN ARBOR, MI, May 15, 2023 – The Joyce Ivy Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2023 Counselor of the Year Award: Brian Nemerovski, 11th and 12th Grade Counselor at Washtenaw International High School (WIHI) in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

“Through both the Summer Scholars selection process and Joyce Ivy College Admissions Symposium (JCAS), the Foundation has interacted with some truly extraordinary educators over the years,” said Brittany Knight, Executive Director of Joyce Ivy Foundation. “We designed an award, driven by student and peer nominations, to recognize the tireless efforts of these remarkable professionals.”

Aligned with the mission of the Joyce Ivy Foundation, the Counselor of the Year Award recognizes a counselor or advocate at a high school/community-based organization who:

• demonstrates tremendous impact daily and who goes above and beyond for his or her students
• is committed to introducing young women to new ideas
• supports young women in their pursuit of higher education and inspires them to dream big

This year’s honoree, Brian Nemerovski, is a tireless advocate for student needs, college access and equity. 2022-23 is his 12th year supporting students as a public school counselor, currently at WIHI, and his 18th year supporting student needs in college selection. Brian takes pride in contributing to positive change at each professional and personal endeavor! WIHI is an International Baccalaureate magnet school open to students from Washtenaw and surrounding counties, where more than 60 percent of students identify as students of color and every single student qualifies for free school breakfast and lunch. 

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Joyce Ivy Foundation, given how aligned JIF’s values of access and representation are with my personal and professional beliefs,” said Nemerovski. “Some of the best moments in our office come each spring when we can assist young women with the JIF Summer Scholars application and, of course, when we learn of the opportunities earned by our Summer Scholars. We know that so many of our economically-disadvantaged students in Ypsilanti have the skills and drive to succeed at the highest level of university study. Through equity-focused counseling and valuable partnerships such as JIF, we are opening doors for these inspiring students!”. 

“Brian Nemerovski exemplifies the qualities that we look for in our Counselor of the Year award recipient,” said Knight. “As his nominator voiced, Mr. Nemo encourages students to strive for the best and believe in themselves, assuring all of us that the school is here to bring us up, not down. One of my favorite things about Mr. Nemo is that he trusts the students to make the right decisions. He is one of the administrators who gives students the space and freedom to grow and learn on their own. I hope that Mr. Nemo can receive recognition for all of his tireless efforts to help students each and every day.”

Nemerovski will be honored during an award ceremony at the Joyce Ivy College Admissions Symposium on Friday, May 19. Registration for JCAS is open for both counselor and student/family attendees and can be found here.

Past Counselor of the Year Recipients: 

• Holly Markiecki-Bennetts (formerly Mercy High School) 
• Ann Bartus (West Bloomfield High School)

About The Joyce Ivy Foundation

The Joyce Ivy Foundation seeks to provide exposure, encouragement, and financial assistance to young women who have the academic, intellectual, and leadership potential to attend the nation’s most selective institutions of higher education. Funding for the Joyce Ivy Foundation is provided by individuals, other foundations, and corporations. Since its founding in 2006, the Foundation has named 1136 students from Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota as Joyce Ivy Scholars, providing scholarships for them to attend summer educational programs at partner college summer programs, and providing or leveraging $6 million in scholarship funding. For more information, please visit www.joyceivyfoundation.org or contact the Joyce Ivy Foundation at info@joyceivyfoundation.org or (734) 661-0229.