“My parents didn’t really have a lot of college knowledge,” says Tracey Grimm, the new 11th and 12th Academic Dean and College Counselor. Grimm grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia, and attended the University of Virginia. Her father, who worked on Grimm’s grandparents’ dairy farm, was a commuter student at James Madison University, and encouraged Grimm to go anywhere she wanted for college, as long as it was in-state and public. 

Grimm discovered her passion for school counseling while working at a nonprofit program called Americorps, which helps to send children from rural central Virginia to college. 

“There’s a lot of emotion, a lot of stress and expectations that bubble to the surface during the college process, and I wanted to be able to better handle the emotional elements,” Grimm said, explaining why she returned to UVA to get her Master’s. 

Grimm was drawn to Berkeley by what she calls “a trifecta” of circumstances. First, having attended Spanish summer camp for five years as a kid, Grimm is excited to be once again surrounded by Florida’s warm, Latin-influenced culture. Second, she loves getting to work with Ms. Hoversten, whom she calls “an OG in the field” of college counseling. Last, Grimm was attracted to how much Berkeley cares for its community. From the Berkeley Academy to the food pantry, Grimm appreciates the high standards that Berkeley places for its students to become activists and lead more fulfilling lives.  

Though Grimm loves her work and getting to meet so many diverse and interesting students, she also greatly enjoys the outdoors, as evidenced by her daily bike to school.

Additionally, Grimm is a Swiftie, highlighted by the large Taylor Swift cutout she keeps in her office upstairs in the Gries. 

She laughed and said, “If anyone has hookups to the New Orleans or Miami Eras Tour shows, come at me!”