By: Makaylah Ayala

SAN JOSE, CALIF—Introducing Mylan Pham, Silver Creek High School’s new counselor for last names A-Ek.

This is Pham’s 10th year as a counselor. She has been at many different schools in her 10 years, as a substitute teacher for the Eastside Union High School District in 2011. In 2015, she started as a part time counselor at Harker Middle School while also working as a substitute. After that, she was a part-time counselor at one of our neighboring high schools, Andrew Hill for four years. Then, she went to Independence High School as a head counselor for five years, but stepped down to take care of her kids.

Pham grew up in San Jose, graduating from Piedmont Hills High School. As soon as she graduated, she didn’t leave home right away. She went to community college at De Anza College for two years doing her general education.  She got her associates in speech communication. Pham then transferred to Arizona State University (ASU) because at the time she wanted to pursue a career as a sports broadcaster.

She majored in journalism there due to Arizona’s great journalism program at ASU. Nearing the end of her senior year, she realized journalism wasn’t for her; she graduated with a degree in journalism.

She went back home to reevaluate her situation. Pham took up substituting while trying to figure out what she wanted to do, but ended up falling in love with working in education. Pham’s degree didn’t help her get into education, so she went to San Jose State University to get her counseling credentials. While she went for her credentials, she also got her masters in counseling. 

Pham doesn’t have much free time due to her two kids, but when she does, she likes to do arts and crafts and occasionally reads.

Some of Pham’s tips on having a successful year is to find the balance between being a teenager and staying in the present, but also to look at the future as well. Pham’s office is open when you need her. College apps, questions about classes she is there! She says. “ Whether you guys like what I say or not, it’s really here to help support you and kind of to get you to look at the big picture. You always have someone in your corner with me.” (372)

Pham Talking to a student. (MAKAYLAH AYALA/RAIDER REVIEW)