“The [COCM Excel] Award is given to one person, but it’s really comprised of everybody on the team. It just happens to be that one person who received it because everybody pushes you to be better and do better. You always see the head coach gets all the kudos, but it’s really the folks that are behind the scenes working day in and day out—they’re truly deserving of it as well.”

—Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith currently serves as Regional Vice President at Capstone On-Campus Management. Prior to working at the COCM home office, Michelle was Director of Campus Housing at Florida Atlantic University, where she earned the 2013 COCM Excel Award. Michelle was also part of the Capstone founding team, and she has been with the company for the last 17 years.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Michelle joins guest host Alton Irwin for the next installment of our Excel Award Interview Series to explain why she considered the award a win for her entire team at Florida Atlantic. Michelle reflects on her time at FAU and reacts to what her colleagues said about the impact she had there. Listen in for insight on COCM’s ability to promote from within and why it’s so rewarding for Michelle to see that level of growth at every level of the company.

Topics Covered 

What’s unique about Michelle’s role as Regional Vice President of COCM

How meeting Sandy Hill at a retreat early in her student housing career led Michelle to work for COCM

Why it was special for Michelle to receive the Excel Award from Sandy Hill

How Michelle saw the Excel Award as a win for her whole team at Florida Atlantic University

What Michelle’s colleagues had to say about the impact she had at FAU

How Michelle thinks about her time at FAU and as the campus partner, Residence Life team and COCM staff worked toward a common goal

The sense of satisfaction Michelle feels in nominating COCM staff for the Excel Award

Why being able to promote from within is so important to Michelle

Connect with Michelle Smith

Michelle at COCM

Michelle on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Alton at COCM

Alton on LinkedIn

Email media@cocm.com

Some student housing professionals are only inclined to perform the duties listed in their job description. And others are team players, willing to get their hands dirty to keep things running smoothly. Kerissa Hobstetter falls into the second category, doing whatever needs to be done to provide the best possible experience for her residents.

Kerissa is COCM’s Assistant Director of Operations at Fayette Square on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Kerissa began her career with Capstone in 2011, serving freshman at Marshall University before transitioning to the graduate campus at UMB where she earned the 2015 COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Kerissa joins guest host Alton Irwin for the fourth in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the diversity of the graduate student population that makes UMB unique. Kerissa describes how her interest in student affairs grew over time, explaining how the opportunity to interact with students gives her the greatest satisfaction in what she does every day. Listen in for insight around the impact of facilities on student satisfaction and learn how being a team player earned Kerissa the respect of her colleagues—and the COCM Excel Award!

Topics Covered

The small, graduate-level campus Kerissa serves at the University of Maryland, Baltimore

What surprised Kerissa about serving graduate students

The diversity of the student population that makes UMB unique

What Kerissa has learned about communicating with students from all over the world

How Kerissa’s interest in student affairs grew over time

Why Kerissa was shocked to receive the COCM Excel Award

What Kerissa’s colleagues had to say about her willingness to go beyond her job title and get her hands dirty

How interactions with residents give Kerissa the greatest satisfaction in what she does

The impact of facilities on student satisfaction and retention

Connect with Kerissa Hobstetter

Kerissa on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Alton at COCM

Alton on LinkedIn

Email media@cocm.com

If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. And lucky for COCM, Scott Schatzer loves to serve others.

Scott is the Talent Recruitment and Wellness Coordinator at the Capstone corporate offices, assisting the operations team in the recruitment, hiring and onboarding of field staff and managing COCM’s Learning Management System and Employee Retention and Wellness Program. Scott formerly served as the Director of Housing Operations for the first-year community on the campus of Marshall University, where he earned the prestigious COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Scott joins guest host Alton Irwin for the third in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the respect for the past and community support unique to Marshall University. Scott reflects on what his colleagues at Marshall said about his passion to help others, sharing how he approaches each day as a servant leader. Listen in to understand the satisfaction Scott gets from recruiting the best employees possible and supporting COCM’s current employees—so they can better serve our residents, campus partners and each other.

Topics Covered

Scott’s former role as Director of Housing for the first-year community on the campus of Marshall University

The respect for the past and community support unique to Marshall University

What Scott is responsible for in his new role as Talent Recruitment and Wellness Coordinator at COCM

How visiting other sites helps Scott better serve his colleagues at COCM

How connecting with a mentor at COCM led Scott to work for the organization

Scott’s appreciation for the opportunity to grow as a student housing professional through COCM

What Scott’s colleagues have to say about his passion to help others, leadership ability and work ethic

How Scott approaches each day with the intention to be a servant leader

The satisfaction Scott gets from recruiting the best employees possible and supporting COCM’s current employees—so they can best serve our residents, campus partners and owners

Connect with Scott

Scott on LinkedIn

Scott on Twitter

Connect with Alton

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Alton at COCM

Alton on LinkedIn

Email media@cocm.com

A strong leader stays calm in a crisis, taking whatever is thrown at them in stride and simply doing what needs to be done. And it is Jeremy Williamson’s ability to stay cool, collected and confident when problems arise that his colleagues admire most.

Jeremy is the Director of Housing Operations and Facilities at University Village and The QUAD Student Housing Communities on the campus of California State University San Marcos. He served as Residence Life Coordinator at the University of Louisville and Area Coordinator at the University of Florida before taking on his current role with Capstone at CSUSM in October of 2017. Jeremy is also a recent recipient of the COCM Excel Award.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Jeremy joins guest host Alton Irwin for the second in a series of conversations with Excel Award winners to discuss the opportunities for growth associated with working on a young campus like CSUSM. Alton shares what Jeremy’s colleagues have to say about his consistently calm and positive demeanor, and Jeremy explains why the Excel Award was the ‘boost he did not know he needed.’ Listen in for insight on adapting to difficult circumstances without losing your cool and learn how Jeremy’s focus on legacy informs his interactions with the people he serves!

Topics Covered

Jeremy’s role as Director of Housing Operations at CSUSM’s University Village and The QUAD

The opportunities for growth associated with working on such a young campus

How Jeremy works with four different partners in the management of his sites at CSUSM

How maintaining relationships with former colleagues led Jeremy to COCM

Why Jeremy describes the Excel Award as ‘the boost he did not know he needed’

What Jeremy’s colleagues have to say about his calm and positive demeanor (even in crisis situations)

Jeremy’s insight on adapting to difficult circumstances without losing your cool

How Jeremy’s focus on legacy informs his interactions with the people he serves

How being a position to make someone’s day gives Jeremy the greatest satisfaction in his role

Connect with Jeremy

University Village Apartments at CSUSM

The QUAD at CSUSM

Jeremy on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton

Student Housing Matters

Student Housing Matters on Facebook

Student Housing Matters on Twitter

Capstone On-Campus Management

Alton at COCM

Alton on LinkedIn

Email media@cocm.com