Donna White is a lifelong learner, and her non-traditional educational path informs her work in guiding students to the right college. Donna started Berkshire Community College at age 24, earning her associate’s degree in marketing. After moving to California with her husband and 18 month old daughter, Donna completed her BS at Pepperdine in business administration, and went on to earn an MBA.
Donna spent 20 years with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she served as a testing coordinator for an elementary school in the San Fernando Valley. She has a California substitute teaching credential, and previously worked for a software company where she set up a computer lab and created curriculum for a school for special needs boys.
It was through her side work tutoring K-12 students in most academic subjects that Donna met Magellan founder Evelyn Jerome-Alexander, who encouraged her to look into UCLA’s Certificate in College Counseling program. Donna earned the certificate with distinction in 2018.
Donna has a special interest in helping students who choose to attend community college transfer to four-year colleges and universities. She’s also an expert in guiding artistic students to their college match – her daughter Alex is an artist who graduated from California College of the Arts in 2014.
Fun fact: Donna’s original community, the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, is a beautiful, inspirational place for artists. Donna’s grandmother was good friends with Norman Rockwell. Herman Melville (author of Moby Dick), Susan B. Anthony, and Daniel Chester French (designer/sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial) were from the same area.
