Student Housing Matters

“Build the bridge as you walk across it. Just find something and try it out and define it. And then over time, it becomes the normal that everybody’s used to—an efficiently run process.” 

In her ten-year career with COCM, Tricia Wells played a major role in developing the infrastructure we use today, creating several of the programs, initiatives and systems that make our jobs easier. Because she was willing to raise her hand when a need came up, Tricia left a lasting impression, and her influence lives on at Capstone.

Today, Tricia is the Assistant Vice Provost for Administration and Finance in the Division of Professional Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Prior to joining UMBC in 2014, she rose through the ranks at COCM, taking on roles as General Manager, Regional Manager, and eventually Regional Vice President for the organization.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Tricia joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to discuss the instant connection she felt when she joined the team at COCM, explaining how the organization aligned with her professional values and career goals. She describes how the understanding of financial systems she learned at Capstone serves her in her current role and why relationships are key to success in higher education. Listen in for Tricia’s insight on transitioning from a private company to a public institution and learn how she helped design several of the programs and initiatives that define COCM’s current infrastructure.

Topics Covered

Tricia’s instant connection with COCM’s executive leadership

How COCM aligned with Tricia’s professional values + career goals

How Tricia’s responsibilities grew in her 10 years with Capstone

Tricia’s willingness to jump in and assist wherever the gap was

Transforming a troubled site into a place students want to live

Tricia’s involvement in creating the current infrastructure at COCM

How understanding financial systems serves Tricia in her new role

Tricia’s advice on transitioning from COCM to a public institution

  • Articulate alignment of values
  • Recognize difference in flexibility
  • Build professional network

Why Tricia credits her success in higher ed to relationships

Connect with Tricia

Tricia on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing Matters

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Capstone On-Campus Management

Tara on LinkedIn


At times, student affairs professionals are hesitant to pursue a role with COCM, thinking that the transition back to a university setting will be challenging. And yet, a number of former Capstone employees have made the successful move to public institutions. What have they done to make the transition as seamless as possible? And how do they go about getting connected on a new campus?

Amy Lorenz is the Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life at the University of North Florida. Prior to joining the team at UNF in March of 2018, she spent nearly four years as Director of Operations at Bowling Green State University through COCM. Amy’s resume also includes roles with Marshall University and Miami University in the realm of academic initiatives and first year experience.

On this episode of the podcast, Amy joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to explain her intentional decision to join COCM to learn about facilities and operations, sharing her responsibilities at BGSU and what she learned about remaining calm in a crisis. She discusses her work in the area of social wellness and describes how she came to appreciate the perspective of the maintenance and custodial staff during her time at COCM. Listen in for Amy’s insight around making connections on a new campus and easing the transition from Capstone back to a college setting!

Topics Covered

Why Amy joined COCM to learn about facilities and operations

Amy’s responsibilities as Director of Operations at BGSU

  • Day-to-day maintenance + emergencies
  • Marketing and occupancy management

Amy’s work with social wellness during her time at Capstone

Amy’s experience attending the Women’s Leadership Institute

The top skills Amy learned in her time working at COCM

  • Remain calm in crisis
  • Listen to ALL constituents
  • Appreciate perspective of maintenance, custodial staff

Taking initiative to meet + listen to people in a new setting

Why Amy recommends finding friends outside of work

Amy’s advice on the transition from COCM to a university

  • Stay connected to people, professional organizations
  • Continue to invest in professional development

Amy’s insight around being a mom in the student housing space

Connect with Amy

Amy on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Tara on LinkedIn


We talk a lot about wellness and work-life balance, but most of us in the world of student housing are just not very good at it. So, how can we learn to prioritize our emotional and spiritual health? How can we develop the courage to ask what’s really important to us and align our choices accordingly? And if that means choosing a new path, how can we apply the skills we learn in student housing to other roles?

Jen Oliver is the former Director of Facilities and Conference Services with COCM at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and current Membership Recruitment Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. Prior to joining the Girl Scouts team in 2018, she spent two years at home with her young daughters, serving her family and getting involved in the local community.

On this edition of the Student Housing Matters Alumni Series, Jen sits down with Tara Wilkinson to discuss how her role with COCM at MassArt rounded out her experience in student housing, exposing her to the facilities side of the space. She shares her gratitude for the relationships she developed with partners, vendors, COCM colleagues as well as the MassArt team. Listen in to understand Jen’s decision to step away from her career at Capstone and prioritize her family and community—and learn how she is applying the skills she honed in student housing to other roles that fit her lifestyle and align with her values!

Topics Covered

How Jen’s role with COCM rounded out her student housing experience

Jen’s responsibilities as Director of Facilities and Conference Services

The trust Jen had to build with her team at MassArt in Boston

The relationships Jen valued with vendors, partners and colleagues

Jen’s decision to prioritize her wellness through family + community

Having the courage to search for work that truly aligns with your values

Jen’s advice around making the decision to step away from your career

How wellness is encouraged among the employees at Capstone

Articulating how skills in student housing apply to other kinds of work

Jen’s insight around the concerns people have with privatized housing

Connect with Jen

Jen on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Tara on LinkedIn


If you’re looking to make a big change or pursue an extraordinary venture, the first step is to share your intentions and then accept help when it’s offered. This can be challenging for those of us in higher ed, as we’re used to providing a support system rather than tapping into one ourselves. But seeking out someone (or multiple someones) willing to champion you is often just what you need to gain the courage to move forward.

Jes Lassiter currently serves as a Financial Analyst with JB Hunt Transport, but prior to earning her graduate degree in economics and finance in 2017, she spent three years as an Assistant General Manager with Capstone On-Campus Management. In Jes’ role with COCM, she supported students at Walker Avenue Apartments and served as a liaison with the University of Maryland—Baltimore County. Jes was an active participant in the Women’s Leadership Initiative at Capstone and continues to work in the space through JB Hunt’s Growing & Retaining Outstanding Women program.

Today, Jes joins guest host Tara Wilkinson to share her responsibilities around student accounts and financial reports as Assistant General Manager with COCM, discussing how she improved processes to help students fulfill their financial obligations. She also reflects on how her time at COCM and the support she received from colleagues there inspired her to pursue a master’s from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. Listen in to understand how Jes is applying what she learned at COCM in her current role and learn why Jes encourages you to find people who will champion you in taking the next step—and accept help when it’s offered!

Topics Covered

How Jes transitioned to COCM from one of its campus partners

Jes’ responsibilities around student accounts + financial reports

How Jes helped improve a process to benefit students at Walker

Why Jes values the operations experience she gained at COCM

Jes’ master’s from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics

How the skills Jes learned at COCM translate to her current role

How COCM’s Women’s Leadership Initiative influenced Jes

Jes’ advice on finding someone to champion you + accepting help

Why it’s crucial to recognize and take advantage of opportunities

Connect with Jes

Jes on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Tara on LinkedIn


As with most things, the amount of effort, dedication and heart you put into a career in student housing is directly correlated with what you get back. And Jeremy Thompson contends that if you go in with an open mind and really give it a shot, the profession may surprise you.

Jeremy is the Regional Vice President of Capstone On-Campus Management. In his ten years at COCM, Jeremy served as a Site Director, Site Operations Specialist and Regional Manager before taking on his current role in 2016. Today, Jeremy joins us as a continuation of the ‘How I Got into Student Housing’ series. He explains how being a commuter student led him to understand the importance of building relationships with peers on campus and describes how the community development aspect of being an RA attracted him to the position.

Jeremy discusses how supporting the development of a team as a Graduate Hall Director inspired his career in student housing—and continues to be the most rewarding part of his job as Regional VP. Listen in to understand why navigating several different sites and competing responsibilities is the most challenging part of Jeremy’s current role and get his advice on approaching the profession with an open mind and willingness to give!

Topics Covered

How being a commuter student led Jeremy to understand the importance of community

Why the community development aspect of being an RA attracted Jeremy to the position

How serving a team as a Graduate Hall Director inspired Jeremy’s student housing career

The challenges Jeremy faces in navigating several different sites as Regional VP of COCM

Why supporting the development of his team is the most rewarding part of Jeremy’s role

The top lessons Jeremy has learned throughout his career in student housing

  1. Take care of students
  2. Use ‘newspaper test’
  3. Document everything
  4. Follow-up is key

Jeremy’s advice on going into student housing with an open mind + willingness to give

Connect with Jeremy

Jeremy on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Leigh Anne on LinkedIn

Email media@cocm.com

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How can we be elite without being elitist? Dr. Eileen Strempel contends that for an institution of higher learning to be truly great in the 21st century, it must adapt to the changing nature of the student body and support what she calls the neotraditional student, marrying the ideas of access and excellence.

Eileen is the inaugural dean of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Prior to UCLA, she spent three years as Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Cincinnati and 16 years in various roles at Syracuse University. Eileen is also a former ACE fellow-in-residence and the coeditor of Transition and Transformation: Fostering Transfer Student Success and Transition and Transformation: New Research Fostering Transfer Student Success. An opera singer turned academic leader, Eileen is committed to higher education as the social justice issue of our time.

Today, Eileen joins me from ACE2019 to discuss the role of higher education in promoting artists who represent a diverse global community. She shares her commitment to being an unabashed champion of transfer students and describes how she benefited from the ACE Fellows Program with a lifelong network of support. Eileen also explains the shift in demographics of the students we serve and higher education’s responsibility to be responsive and welcoming. Listen in for Eileen’s insight on listening to learn, empathize and respect—and learn how student housing can build a sense of community that fosters compassion and creativity.

Topics Covered

Eileen’s belief in the transformative power of music

The role of higher ed in promoting diverse artists

Why Eileen is an unabashed champion of transfer students

How Eileen benefitted from the ACE Fellows Program

Addressing similar issues in different contexts in higher ed

How the demographics of students we serve are changing

Eileen’s key takeaways from ACE2019 in Philadelphia

  • Social inequality vs. social mobility
  • Listen (learn, empathize + respect)

What Eileen is looking forward to in her new role at UCLA

How student housing can forge a sense of community

Connect with Eileen

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

Eileen on LinkedIn

Connect with Leigh Anne

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Leigh Anne on LinkedIn

Email media@cocm.com

Subscribe on iTunes


How do you find your unicorn job? Heather O’Leary-Agosta argues that rather than getting caught up in titles, it’s more important to consider what you love about your current role and make decisions that facilitate more of THAT. Though she was hesitant to make a career move that seemed like a step back, Heather focused on the quality of her work and the impact she made on the students she served, and that led to an ideal role that fits her passion and education.

Heather found her unicorn job as Resident Services Manager at Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture, a study abroad campus for a university based in Tokyo. In her role, Heather supports the international students who comprise 100% of the student population, familiarizing them with American culture, creating a culturally-sensitive environment, and working with facilities and food services to meet student expectations. Prior to Showa, Heather served as Property Manager for the YWCA in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and General Manager of two residence halls at MassArt for COCM.

Today, Heather joins Tara to reminisce about their time together at MassArt, sharing her responsibilities with COCM and the value in helping plan new construction on campus. Heather describes the deep support and diverse perspectives she valued at COCM and explains how she fostered lasting connections with colleagues who continue to be resources. Listen in for Heather’s advice around making strategic career moves and learn how her passion for supporting international students led to her current role at Showa.

Topics Covered

Heather’s responsibilities working for COCM at MassArt

The value in being involved in planning new construction

The support + diverse perspectives Heather valued at COCM

Heather’s career transition to property managing a YWCA

How working with international students led Heather to Showa

Heather’s role as Resident Services Manager at Showa Boston

Heather’s advice around making strategic career moves

Heather’s appreciation for lasting connections from COCM

Connect with Heather

Showa Boston

Heather on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Tara on LinkedIn


 

Every year COCM hosts an Annual Meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. In February, COCM’s Assistant Directors fly in from over 40 different sites for a week of learning, listening, sharing, and building community amongst fellow student housing professionals.

 

Being an Assistant Director of Housing can mean many things. Depending on the particular site, AD’s have a variety of roles, responsibilities, and challenges in facilities, maintenance, operations and res life. During one session at the 2019 Annual Meeting we sat down with four of our assistant directors to discuss their experiences and perspective from what they have learned at their own site.

 

Our panelists are from very different sites with different students – and with that we get some great insight from their unique perspectives. Learn about all that goes into running on-campus housing and the creative ways these individuals have approached their everyday work to create an environment for student success.

 

The Panel Participants:

 

Omar Mahmoud, Assistant Director for Operations at The Heights at Montclair State University

Chris Adams, Associate Director of Maintenance Operations at South Campus Commons at Univ. of Maryland

Lupita “Pete” Morales, Assistant Director for Housing Business Operations at Green River College

Ryan Rosevelt, Assistant Director of Residence Life, First Year Residence Halls at Marshall University

 

Topics Covered

How you explain what you do in your role as an assistant director to your friends and family

Perspectives on both operations responsibilities as well as facilities responsibilities

What issues they see most often in their site-specific role, and how they manage that issue

The importance of walking alongside students on their individual journey

Working with international students who are adapting to being away from home

Educating residence on how to use appliances as well as how to deal with maintenance issues

Looking at new things like technology that student are interested in having in their residence hall

Lessons learned through their years of experience

How to grow in your career through these lessons learned

How being valued as an employee changed perspective on worth

How student housing is so much more than just putting students in rooms

 

Connect with Leigh Anne and COCM

 

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Leigh Anne on LinkedIn


Brian served as the IT Coordinator at COCM for 10 years. In 2018, he left COCM to join the BL Harbert Team as an IT Manager for the US Group. In today’s episode, Tara Wilkinson catches up with Brian to ask him about all that he learned from working with COCM and how it is impacting his new position.

Brian joined Capstone Development Group over a decade ago in a different role than where he ended up – as IT Coordinator. Soon after he started to work at Capstone, Brian noticed areas where some help might be needed, so he jumped in to help. Slowly, picking up more and more projects in IT, Brian was later asked to be the IT Coordinator for COCM in 2012. In this role, he managed a wide range of responsibilities. There was a home office structure, but then each individual site managed by COCM also needed IT support. Every site having an independent IT set-up, depending on the owner or campus, required Brian to build strong relationships with people to ensure everything stayed up and running. Brian also was able to join the Marketing team in the home office to work on website building, podcasting and other audio/video projects – allowing him to get creative within the company as well.

It is very clear through this interview with Brian that a “can-do” attitude leads to an immense amount of learning opportunities and growth. Brian credits the relational side of the roles that he has filled to the joy and rewards of his time working with COCM. The ability to work with the people who are on the “front lines” of student housing at the site level, has shaped his core values to always recognize all of the people it takes to make student housing successful.

Brian’s decision to leave COCM was a very difficult one. Having worked with such great people, he truly still misses the community of Student Housing Professionals. His decision to move, albeit tough, has allowed him to stretch himself by stepping into a new field. Brian explains why he needed this shift and encourages others at COCM that it doesn’t mean leaving the company to find ways to stretch yourself – he suggests to his former colleagues to engage in opportunities that are outside of your defined roles, and see what you learn. You never know where it will take you – whether to another site, a new role within COCM, or even toward a career shift that may take you elsewhere. The big takeaway? Always push yourself, and you will continue to have an exciting life journey.

Topics Covered

The value of stepping into roles that are outside your job description

Serving others through relationships – and how that impacts your work success

Learning the skill of working with all different types of people – and finding joy in the process

 

Connect with Brian

Brian on LinkedIn

 

Connect with Leigh Anne

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

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Capstone On-Campus Management

Leigh Anne on LinkedIn


Every year COCM hosts an Annual Meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. In January, site directors from over fly in from over 40 different sites for a week of learning, listening, sharing, and building community amongst fellow student housing professionals.

Being a Director of Housing at any university comes with a variety of roles, responsibilities, and challenges. During one session at the 2019 Annual Meeting we sat down with four directors to discuss all of these things. Our panelists are from very different sites with different students – and with that we get some great insight from their unique perspectives. 

Learn about all that goes into running on-campus housing and the creative ways these individuals have approached their everyday work to create an environment for student success.

 

The Panel Participants:

  • Rafael Cordwell, Director of University Affiliated Housing at Millennium Hall, Paca & Tubman Houses at Towson University
  • April Yost, Director of Housing at Glen Oaks Community College
  • Scott Schatzer, Director of Operations at First Year Residence Halls at Marshall University
  • Alexis Ireland, Director housing Operations at Claremont Graduate University

 

Topics Covered

  • What it means to be a “Student Housing Professional”
  • The many roles involved in serving students through student housing
  • Diversity of different universities and how needs may look different than others
  • The importance of communication and adapting to the needs of the campus
  • Challenges that come with new housing on a campus
  • How collaboration is key and being unified as a team on campus allows people to thrive
  • Identifying the basic needs of students
  • Understanding the partnerships that affect you as a site director and your students
  • Perspectives on students today compared to when they were students
  • Parent involvement in their student’s college experience
  • How technology plays into the student experience and accountability for staff
  • How working for a third-party manager has impacted the panel participants’ careers
  • The variety of experiences given to a student housing professional through COCM
  • Opportunities to grow within student housing with a holistic approach
  • How working for a private company in student housing has opened doors for learning
  • Understanding the “why” behind everything done on campus and at the site

 

Connect with the Panelists

Rafael Cordwell on LinkedIn

Rafael at Millennium Hall

April at Glen Oaks

Scott Schatzer at Marshall University

Alexis at Claremont

 

Connect with Leigh Anne and COCM 

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Leigh Anne on LinkedIn


Opening a brand-new residence hall, on a campus that is not used to serving its students 24/7, is quite an undertaking. How do you manage the expectations of a diverse student population? How do you initiate support services after traditional hours? How do you build the foundation for a successful community—without the luxury of established policies and procedures?

Rob Olson is the Director of Facilities and Capital Projects at Green River College, and Greg Houghton is the Director of Finance and Operations at Northeastern University. But prior to their current roles, both Rob and Greg worked with guest host Tara Wilkinson at COCM. In fact, the trio was part of the pioneering leadership team that established Green River College’s first on-campus student housing program.

Today, Rob and Greg join Tara to reconnect and reflect on their experience as part of the startup leadership team at Green River. They discuss the challenges of opening a brand-new residence hall and fostering a successful community—in a community college setting. Greg explains why he values the diversity of opportunity COCM provided, and Rob describes the supportive feeling of community he experienced working with the Capstone Family.  Listen in for insight around the rewards of building something from nothing and learn how their background at Capstone helped Rob and Greg grow into their current roles in higher education.

Topics Covered

Rob’s transition from the construction industry to student housing

How Greg discovered student affairs as a profession as an RA

Rob, Greg and Tara’s experience on the startup team at Green River

The leadership team’s challenges in opening a new residence hall

The rewards associated with ‘building something out of nothing’

How the COCM Team at Green River forged lasting relationships

How COCM supported Rob in advancing his career

Why Greg values the diversity of experience he gleaned at COCM

The significance of building relationships with on-campus partners

How to capitalize on the multitude of opportunities in higher ed

Connect with Rob & Greg

Rob on LinkedIn

Greg on LinkedIn

Connect with Tara

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Tara on LinkedIn


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