"I think one of the reasons I love working at GRCC is the personal connection I feel with the students," Kathy Mullins reflects, "because I see myself in them, they are me and I them." as she recalls her youth, college was not an option, never a consideration, you got married and worked. It was the closing of the factory where she was employed that opened up an unexpected alternative. "The Michigan Works advisor simply offered college as one of a couple of possible uses of the government resources available," Kathy explains. "Until that moment I had never considered higher education. No one in my family had gone on past high school."
After she received her AA degree from Baker College, she was urged toward a BA. Once hired by GRCC, she was pressured by mentors and colleagues within the college to complete her MBA in leadership studies. "The Michigan Works employee had no idea of the impact that new vision of myself had for me. I have now completed a doctorate! People saw more in me than I acknowledged and I imagine that is true for so many of our students, whether they are fresh from high school or returning as adults with additional family responsibilities." She sees her responsibility to those students as an effort to remove obstacles and barriers to their learning and their academic success wherever she can.
Several nominating narratives noted the varied and often complex aspects of her current position at the college as point person for the President with K-12 partners, the local community, businesses and legislators. "Managing the often competing interests requires grace and a strict work ethic; Kathy possesses both of these traits." another wrote, "She maintains a delicate balance always in situations that demand skillful arbitration, attention to detail, and political savvy."
0 comments:
Post a Comment