Jeanne Haley joins the Olin community as the Senior Director of Counseling. Learn more about Jeanne and her experience in this Q&A.
Meet Jeanne Haley, who joined the Olin community as the new Senior Director of Counseling.
Can you share a bit about your background and how you came to be at Olin?
I received my Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston University and, since then, have had a wide range of professional experiences as a mental health clinician. I worked for many years in HIV/AIDS programs and other outpatient mental health clinics. For the last 20 years I have been in Higher Education, most recently at Framingham State University Counseling Center. I was primarily a counselor for students, but also supervised staff and graduate interns, and was director of staff training. One of my proudest accomplishments was to help establish a Resource Center on campus for students with food/housing insecurity. In my work at Tufts University Counseling Center, my focus was on treatment and education for students with substance misuse issues. I really enjoy working on a college campus and was excited to see the opportunity at Olin. Being able to use my past College counseling experiences in a new setting seemed like the perfect next step for me. Olin is unique, and I know I will be challenged to learn and understand what can work best here. I look forward to collaborating with students and staff to create more mental health resources on campus.
What made you want to pursue social work as a career? Is there a particular moment that made you want to be a social worker?
I was a History major in college and thought about being a teacher. After college, I spent a year as a Volunteer at a literacy center. The clients were adolescents who had left high school. I was inspired by the young people, who were motivated to make a life for themselves despite huge barriers. I shifted my focus to social work so I could learn skills to work with individuals and systems. I chose to go to Boston University School of Social Work, which had a focus on Clinical Mental Health and Social Justice.
How do you support students in your role?
In my role here at Olin, I can provide mental health counseling, help with referrals for additional mental health treatment, and work with students on problem-solving and skills. I hope students find me approachable, see me as someone who listens, and know I try to always prioritize students’ needs. My goal is to help students be successful, academically and personally.
Is there anything about your role that you would like students to know?
My role here at Olin is both to provide individual counseling to students and to grow a mental health center on campus. I want to expand clinical care on campus and partner with others to focus on the importance of mental health. I have already seen that Olin is a supportive and compassionate community. I feel hopeful that we can continue to increase our ability to do even more on the campus to support positive mental health.
Do you have a favorite moment in your career you can share?
I have many favorite moments, which are mostly related to seeing someone accomplish something they did not believe was possible. Being able to see someone improve and feel better after dealing with mental health issues, or life stressors, is amazing. Knowing that I have been a small part of someone’s journey is really a privilege, and I feel grateful that I chose this career.
What do you like to do for fun and/or in your free time?
I swim a few times a week, and I do still love history, which now translates to reading a lot of historical fiction. I love to walk on the beach and collect sea glass. I did get into bird watching during Covid, and I may or may not be a little obsessed with the birds.
Oliners can ask me about...
Local history. I grew up in Boston and have lots of stories about it. I am really interested in the Boston Harbor islands and have read much about the history of the islands since the Revolutionary War.
Oliners can teach me about...
Anything Engineering! Also, Oliners can teach me about the culture and history of Olin itself.