Dr. Wendell Wallace-Juedes
Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
Director of Interviewing
Yale University (CT)
What drew you to the world of college admission counseling?
I started out writing composite letters in the Office of Career Strategy for Yale students applying to the Yale School of Medicine, and then working as an outside reader for the Undergraduate Admissions Office. I have always had an interest in education. I taught science to honors and gifted students during the regular school year and during the summers I taught math for nine years. Promoting education is something that was instilled in me from the time I was a young child. My family believed that education was the key to advancing in life. I have continued to promote that same belief to my friends, family, and anyone who will listen.
What is your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part of this job is conducting in-person outreach work in communities that typically don’t believe institutions like Yale would be interested in them as students on their campuses. I also really enjoy educating families on the very generous need-based financial aid Yale offers and the application process in general.
How has NACAC played a role in your career?
NACAC (GWI to be precise) has allowed me to see myself in a leadership role within this field. Being able to bring in my experiences from previous roles outside of education laid a very strong foundation for me to be able to do this work.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our profession today?
The biggest challenge facing higher education today is by far the laws being passed in numerous states to rid this country of the truth about its history and the removal of DEI spaces and jobs at our institutions of higher learning.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
When I am not working, as a native of New Orleans; I enjoy cooking traditional Louisiana creole cuisine; baking; working out; watching endless shows on Netflix, Prime, Hulu etc.; and traveling with my husband and son.
If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why?
Oh my, this is a tough one because there are so many fictional characters I love, but if I could be any fictional character, it would be a vampire — but one who could go out in daylight, like Damon Salvatore played by Ian Somerhalder. To me, vampires have great intelligence, sex appeal, eternal life, and (I would hope) the ability to read and control people’s thoughts. The biggest draw however is that they live for centuries, witnessing history in the making. I love learning, and I absolutely find that the most fascinating aspect of being a vampire.
Published Sept. 9, 2024
