Class of 2008 Alumnus Returns As Newest School Counselor

“There is so much to enjoy while in high school,” he adds. “Some of my favorite memories were made in the auditorium here, or in campus ministry and the hallways in between. I had such a fantastic time here because I enjoyed being here. I was where my feet were.”

 

Masterton most recently served as a counselor at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, after earning his Master’s degree in education with a counseling specialization from DePaul University.

 

It’s a far cry from where he started once he left Saint Viator. Masterton originally planned to major in criminal justice and began his college career at Marquette University. He wound up transferring to Loyola University his sophomore year and he immediately felt connected.

 

“Through singing in the choir, attending and leading retreats, and participating in Alternative Break Immersions in Kentucky and New Orleans, I finally felt like I was where I belonged,” Masterton says. “That’s what I try to teach my students who are in the process of figuring out where to go for college: find somewhere you belong, and don’t give up until you do.”

 

Masterton initially worked in security, using his criminal justice degree, but he quickly realized he needed something more. He ultimately drew inspiration to enter the field of education from two important mentors: his mother, Karen, who taught second grade for many years at St. James School in Arlington Heights, and his guidance counselor while at Saint Viator, Br. Rob Robertson, C.S.V.

 

“I thought back to my days at Saint Viator, and how much I enjoyed meeting with Br. Rob and how he had helped me succeed in so many of those intangible ways,” Masterton says. “I wanted to do what he did.”

 

Though Masterton would spend five years in special education, he says he now has found where he belongs, working as a counselor alongside Br. Rob and imparting much of his philosophy to his students.

 

“Br. Rob always made my classmates and me feel welcomed, seen, and heard while at school, and those are such vital pieces of high school success,” Masterton says. “If I could be that person for someone else, I knew I was doing something good. When you can be that person who helps someone feel even just a little bit better about themselves or about any particular day, you are doing something right."

“I wanted to have a job that would help me feel like I was contributing to a better world. School counselors can do that,” he adds. “An open door, a smiling face, and a willingness to listen to students are all things that can help create an environment similar to the one that I had when I walked these halls.”