Meet Our Team
Kathy Strand, M.S.
Lead Educational Consultant; co-founder, College Search U
Current base of operation: Portland, Maine
Accepting clients from across the United States
Higher Education Professional Experience:
Simmons University (graduate online program admissions)
Colby College (parent giving & programs)
Simmons University (undergraduate admissions)
Roger Williams University (short-term consultation –alumni admissions; Florida recruitment planning)
St. Joseph’s College (short-term recruitment assistance in NJ/PA/MD)
Co-President, Northeast Coordinators of Alumni Admission Programs (2004-2011)
Boston University (academic librarian)
Recruitment travel experience:
Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, Chicagoland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York
Secondary Schools:
Sturgis Public Charter School (MA), founding member/trustee
Professional Affiliations:
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC)
Member, Current Trends Committee (2016 to 2023)
Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA – 2016-2021)
Presenter, Annual Conference June 2019
Education:
White Plains High School
BMus, Boston University
MS, Simmons College
Certificate, Independent Educational Consultants Association Summer Institute (2014)
William (“Bill”) C. McMurray, M.Ed.
Co-Founder, College Search U
(Not currently accepting clients)
Hometown: Brunswick, Maine
Education:
Brunswick High School
B.A., Bates College (Psychology/English)
M.Ed., The University of Vermont (Higher Education & Student Affairs)
Certificate, Independent Educational Consultants Association Summer Institute (2007)
Career Highlights (1981-present)
College Admission:
Roger Williams University (RI): 2015-present (Regional Admisson Representative, northern New England)
Wheaton College (MA): 1987-95 (Dir of School Relations); 1998-2005 (Dir of Western Regional Admission);
2012-2015 (Regional Director of Admission)
California College of the Arts (San Francisco), Director of Graduate Admission
Sea Education Association (MA), Dean of Admission & Financial Aid
Recruitment travel experience:
Nationwide, especially familiar with Northern New England, California, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii
School Counseling/Secondary School Administration:
Culver Academies (IN)
St. Sebastian’s School (MA)
Boston University Academy (MA)
Envision Schools (CA)
Professional Affiliations (partial list):
New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC), Professional Member 1984-present National Association for College Admission Counseling, Professional Member 1987-2014 Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Professional Member 2014-16 National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) -2009 to 2011
Regular panelist and presenter in high schools nationwide, including admission case studies programs, college nights, and essay workshops