OCCC’s mission is to help Orthodox Christian teenagers and their parents navigate the high school experience and guide them through the college search, application, and selection process from an Orthodox perspective. Whether you attend a public, private, or home school, OCCC is here to help students find their best academic, social, financial and spiritual fit college – or any other plans they may have after high school. The key emphasis is on keeping Christ and our salvation at the forefront of our lives and future aspirations.

Christopher Chiakulas (MA, M.Ed.) has been a high school counselor since 2013, specializing in college and career counseling. In 2018, Christopher was selected as the “ACT K-12 College and Career Readiness Champion” for the state of Illinois. In addition to his job as a school counselor, Christopher also serves as an adjunct instructor at a community college, teaching a course called, “College Success Seminar,” as well as teaches a Graduate-level course for staff in his district called, “College Knowledge.” His previous experiences in education include working as an Academic Advisor for undergraduate students at a large Catholic university and as a public high school Business Education teacher.

Christopher is a member of numerous professional counseling and college admission organizations including the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Illinois Association of College Admission Counseling (IACAC), and the Illinois School Counselor Association (ISCA). Christopher has been a presenter at both the IACAC and ISCA annual conferences.