Campus Directory

---

Biography

Gricel Serrano, M.A., LCPC, CMIP (She/Her/Ella), has served as Director of Counseling since January 2025. Serrano leads the University’s mental health services, oversees clinical operations, and works to expand access to equitable, student-centered mental health care. In this role, she continues to advocate for innovative programming and inclusive wellness initiatives on campus.

Serrano is a bilingual (Spanish/English) Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over 13 years of experience delivering trauma-informed, culturally responsive care across a broad spectrum of clinical settings. Known for her expertise in crisis management and her ability to remain a calming presence in moments of distress, she has dedicated her career to supporting diverse populations through client-centered, evidence-based therapy.

Serrano’s passion for working alongside emerging adults in a collegiate setting began in 2020 at Columbia College Chicago, where she provided therapy and crisis support, supervised graduate interns, and spearheaded outreach efforts across campus. She briefly continued this work at Midwestern University, supporting the mental health needs of medical students.

Before she transitioned into higher education, she led the Intensive Outpatient Program at MacNeal Hospital, where she coordinated interdisciplinary teams, managed patient care, and ensured compliance with Joint Commission standards. Earlier in her career, she held multiple therapeutic roles within community mental health agencies, offering individual, family, and group therapy, supervising interns, and leading psychoeducational programming across the Chicago area.

---

---

---