Daniel Hernandez, associate director of counseling services, recalls his travel to his new job as a long drive that was well worth it.

“I loaded up a U-Haul Truck and drove up here from North Carolina,” Hernandez says about coming to the North Country and St. Lawrence several years ago . “I truly love it here. The North Country is beautiful.”

Hernandez, originally from Sacramento, CA, grew up in a small town much like Canton. He learned about St. Lawrence from a graduate school friend. “I was working at a mental health agency in North Carolina,” he says. “And a friend of mine who I met in graduate school was the director at the St. Lawrence University Counseling Center. She had a counseling position open and encouraged me to apply.

“I have always enjoyed the field of counseling,” says Hernandez, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at San Jose State in California. “Early on in my career I did an assistantship at the Shrine Hospital in the Bay Area in California, working with children who were diagnosed with terminal diseases.  After experiencing my first death, of an 11-year-girl, and working with her family, I knew then that this was the field that I wanted to pursue. In addition, I have a love for teaching and sharing my clinical experience with graduate students who have a passion and desire to help people."

Hernandez has been teaching and doing therapy for over 17 years. He regularly conducts workshops at St. Lawrence on issues surrounding the loss of loved ones. Many of these, such as Suicide Survivor Support Group, have been open to the community.