Innovision Fall 2018

FALL 2018 | 27 ASSISTANT DEAN Where did you go to school and what did you study? I went to West Chester University and earned a bachelor of science degree in Business Management and Finance. I continued at West Chester and got my MBA with a concentration in Management Administration. Later on down the road, I went to Alvernia University and graduated with a doctorate with a concentration in community leadership. Where did you work after college? I worked here at Kutztown. I’m going on 15 years. I started in housing and residence life as a residence coordinator. I ran three or four buildings. I got into that by doing a graduate assistantship in housing at West Chester. In December of 2013, a position opened up in CASA and I took it.Then the Assistant Dean position came about, and that’s where I am now. What do you do in your new position as Assistant Dean? I work with the entrepreneur and leadership center as well as theMBA program. In addition, I’m working with advisement and students who need the student success support, which I have skills in from working for CASA. What’s unique is that I was the liaison with the College of Business so I met with COB students all the time. I also work on assessment tasks. I do research on students who no longer attend and why they no longer attended. Also, I do research on the needs of our students and how the College of Business can be in a better position to support those needs. I like doing assessment and looking at the data to see where the breaks are so we can develop a plan to fill in those gaps. What is your goal to accomplish at Kutztown? One of my goals as a women of color is to be a role model for other students of color. I tell my students, if I can do it, you can do it. When I went through getting my doctorate, I didn’t have someone to be there with me who already went through the process to tell me what the steps are and what I need to do. I want to be that person for others. I want the students to know that their goals are achievable; all you have to do is put your mind to it, put in the time and work and you can reach your goal. I have found purpose in continuing to work on a college campus. Were you nervous when you first started the new position? Absolutely. I knew that I was capable, but I’m a perfectionist. The doubt comes in because I want to be the best I can be. Coming into this position, I was like wow, this is a large title with great responsibilities and people are looking up to me. I understand that not everything has to be completely right. I look at things like this: if I never try, I never know. You have to start somewhere and once you start, continue. That’s how you grow. What’s one thing you want Kutztown students to remember throughout their college career? What has been given to you, you have a responsibility to give it to others. So, as you’re here growing academically, you now have a responsibility once you leave to deposit it to someone else. The dream that you have and carried can now be given to someone else to make it greater. DR. PAIGE BROOKINS Paige Brookins graduated from West Chester in 2002 with a BS in Business Management and Finance. She is currently the new Assistant Dean for KU’s College of Business. “I look at things like this: if I never try, I never know. You have to start somewhere and once you start, continue. That’s how you grow.”