Kelly Davis

I often say I am the face of the Associate in Arts Program because the students see me first. And they see me every day. My role here is titled Academic Support Coordinator and some of the things that I do here, amongst many things, is event coordinator, guiding the students, refilling the snack bowl, printing out parking passes, helping with the schedule, and reading a bazillion emails. In my inbox I have 41,000 unopened, I am a bit behind but I'll get there!

My absolute favorite thing to do is connect to the students and encourage them. That's my most favorite thing. Encourage you to be here on time. Encourage you to be your very best while you're here. Two years goes by fast doesn't it? You think about it, then you have your Associate's. That's no joke.

Most memorable for me, without naming any names, there is a student here who has worked very hard to graduate. And she didn’t quite make it last year, but she started watching all the other students gathering their regalia, and she was very sad that she wasn't going to be able to walk. So we talked about how she could help her future self. How she could push herself to graduate, and she came up with an amazing “why.” Her reason was, what if one day I have children and they say, “Mom, did you go to college?” and  what if I had to say "I dropped out because I got frustrated.” She said my “why” is for my future kids. And guess what, she's graduating this year. She's walking. And that is my most favorite story. For some it comes very easily, but for others, the struggle is real. That is what we're here for.

Interview by Kyle Marine and Jason Gordon, spring 2023