Co-Director of College Counseling, Elizabeth Guice, Receives ACCIS Award
Elizabeth Guice was recently honored with The 2026 Marty Elkins Award for Excellence in College Counseling by The Association of College Counselors In Independent Schools.
From students and faculty to alumni and parents, anyone fortunate enough to cross paths with Elizabeth Guice knows just how deeply she impacts those around her for the better. A longtime St. Andrew’s faculty member, Guice has left evidence of her leadership everywhere across the sprawling Upper School campus. This impact is most notable in the College Counseling Office, where she leads a thriving program alongside Co-Director Chadwick Fulton and Associate Directors Sarah Baldino and Courtney Elliott.
Together, this four-member team brings a unique blend of expertise and perspective to shepherding Upper School students and their families through the transition to life beyond the Upper School. They help students decide not just where they will go to college, but also answer the deeper questions around why and how they will embark on their next chapter after St. Andrew’s School. While the collective talent and deep experience of the entire team drives the success of St. Andrew’s students, it is Guice's exceptional leadership within this collaborative labor of love that recently earned national recognition.
On September 16, 2026, that dedication was given center stage when the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS) honored Guice with the 2026 Marty Elkins Award for Excellence in College Counseling. Guice received the award at the ACCIS’ annual 2026 Membership Meeting, surrounded by St. Andrew’s colleagues and the Upper School College Counseling Team.
This recognition is the highest award given by the ACCIS and honors college counselors with 15 years or more of experience in independent schools. The Marty Elkins Award recognizes an ACCIS member who exemplifies excellence in college counseling practices and was established in 2010 by ACCIS Board of Trustees, named after their first volunteer Executive Director, according to the ACCIS.
“Elizabeth Guice is an educational leader in many expected and many more unexpected ways. Throughout this time, she’s led with grace, hard work, patience, and a willingness to adapt,” said an ACCIS award nominator. “Elizabeth is a rare breed of both a big thinker and the Director who is more than willing to do the grunt work.”
“She has helped to coordinate collaboration with other area schools and our admissions colleagues as well,” they continued. “She is committed to offering space and spending time with all representatives who request a visit, even when our calendars are full or if students might not be particularly interested. We really do marvel at her commitment to this office, and more specifically, to our students, our faculty and staff, and the greater educational community.”
Not only has Elizabeth Guice’s leadership and expertise been foundational in building a thriving college counseling program and team at St. Andrews, what’s more, “Elizabeth’s work consistently reflects a belief that access, opportunity, and support should be available to all individuals, regardless of background, knowledge of the college process, or socioeconomic circumstances,” said the nominator. “Through her work as a Breakthrough Central Texas mentor for students in Manor, Texas, she has demonstrated a clear understanding that equitable support requires meeting students where they are, both literally and figuratively.
“During COVID, she helped shift the TACAC Drive-In Workshops to an online format, rebranded as ‘Zoom-Ins.’ Her creative work and willingness to adapt reached a wide audience in an especially isolating time,” they continued. “She served as a chair for multiple years at TACAC’s Admissions and College Counseling Institute to orient and support high school and admissions counselors new to the field. It is no surprise that her TACAC peers bestowed on her the William W. Fleming Award for ‘unquestioned excellence in counseling’ and ‘meeting high standards of honesty, decency, and commitment to a good match between student and college.
“In a less formal capacity, Elizabeth is frequently the person whom other counselors reach out to when they have questions or need a very wise, very intentional thought-partner,” they said. “When new counselors need mentorship or advice, she eagerly shares her time and knowledge. On more than one occasion, she has supported those building a new program at a new school. Endlessly patient and generous, she gives of her vast expertise in a way that makes the college counseling field as a whole stronger and better.
“Most importantly, Elizabeth consistently creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students and families. Regardless of a family’s prior experience with the college counseling process, she ensures that each individual feels seen, heard, respected, and supported. Her approachable and compassionate demeanor helps reduce anxiety and build trust, making students and families feel that they truly belong.”
Congratulations on this incredible honor, Elizabeth Guice!
Read the ACCIS 2026 Marty Elkins Award for Excellence in College Counseling Press Release
Together, this four-member team brings a unique blend of expertise and perspective to shepherding Upper School students and their families through the transition to life beyond the Upper School. They help students decide not just where they will go to college, but also answer the deeper questions around why and how they will embark on their next chapter after St. Andrew’s School. While the collective talent and deep experience of the entire team drives the success of St. Andrew’s students, it is Guice's exceptional leadership within this collaborative labor of love that recently earned national recognition.
On September 16, 2026, that dedication was given center stage when the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS) honored Guice with the 2026 Marty Elkins Award for Excellence in College Counseling. Guice received the award at the ACCIS’ annual 2026 Membership Meeting, surrounded by St. Andrew’s colleagues and the Upper School College Counseling Team.
This recognition is the highest award given by the ACCIS and honors college counselors with 15 years or more of experience in independent schools. The Marty Elkins Award recognizes an ACCIS member who exemplifies excellence in college counseling practices and was established in 2010 by ACCIS Board of Trustees, named after their first volunteer Executive Director, according to the ACCIS.
“Elizabeth Guice is an educational leader in many expected and many more unexpected ways. Throughout this time, she’s led with grace, hard work, patience, and a willingness to adapt,” said an ACCIS award nominator. “Elizabeth is a rare breed of both a big thinker and the Director who is more than willing to do the grunt work.”
“She has helped to coordinate collaboration with other area schools and our admissions colleagues as well,” they continued. “She is committed to offering space and spending time with all representatives who request a visit, even when our calendars are full or if students might not be particularly interested. We really do marvel at her commitment to this office, and more specifically, to our students, our faculty and staff, and the greater educational community.”
Not only has Elizabeth Guice’s leadership and expertise been foundational in building a thriving college counseling program and team at St. Andrews, what’s more, “Elizabeth’s work consistently reflects a belief that access, opportunity, and support should be available to all individuals, regardless of background, knowledge of the college process, or socioeconomic circumstances,” said the nominator. “Through her work as a Breakthrough Central Texas mentor for students in Manor, Texas, she has demonstrated a clear understanding that equitable support requires meeting students where they are, both literally and figuratively.
“During COVID, she helped shift the TACAC Drive-In Workshops to an online format, rebranded as ‘Zoom-Ins.’ Her creative work and willingness to adapt reached a wide audience in an especially isolating time,” they continued. “She served as a chair for multiple years at TACAC’s Admissions and College Counseling Institute to orient and support high school and admissions counselors new to the field. It is no surprise that her TACAC peers bestowed on her the William W. Fleming Award for ‘unquestioned excellence in counseling’ and ‘meeting high standards of honesty, decency, and commitment to a good match between student and college.
“In a less formal capacity, Elizabeth is frequently the person whom other counselors reach out to when they have questions or need a very wise, very intentional thought-partner,” they said. “When new counselors need mentorship or advice, she eagerly shares her time and knowledge. On more than one occasion, she has supported those building a new program at a new school. Endlessly patient and generous, she gives of her vast expertise in a way that makes the college counseling field as a whole stronger and better.
“Most importantly, Elizabeth consistently creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students and families. Regardless of a family’s prior experience with the college counseling process, she ensures that each individual feels seen, heard, respected, and supported. Her approachable and compassionate demeanor helps reduce anxiety and build trust, making students and families feel that they truly belong.”
Congratulations on this incredible honor, Elizabeth Guice!
Read the ACCIS 2026 Marty Elkins Award for Excellence in College Counseling Press Release
