How long have you worked at Buffalo State College?
I have worked at Buffalo State for five and a half years as a Senior EOP Counselor
What motivates you to provide excellent services for your colleagues, students, and supervisor?
I absolutely love my job. As an EOP alumna, being in a position to give back every day for all of the support I received as an EOP student is amazing. I am also lucky enough to work with fantastic colleagues and a supportive supervisor which makes doing my job that much easier.
What personal philosophy about working with others guides your day-to-day work?
My personal philosophy is "Meet the students where they are in all situations." It’s also to recognize that each student has a story and often their behaviors are connected to that story. As a wise mentor said, “Sit on the fence with them until they are ready to step down.” Knowing when to challenge them to evaluate their choices is key.
What do you do when you are not working?
I enjoy watching my daughter swim competitively, spending time with family and friends at all the amazing restaurants Buffalo has to offer, working out, and listening to podcasts.
"Carole is someone who goes out of her way to help students and staff. From researching courses and connecting with professors to ensuring a course is a fit for a student given their needs to meeting with staff to checking in on their well–being, she is always lending a helping hand. She has been a wonderful support in my own transition. If I ever need advisement on how to handle a crisis or advise a student on course selection, she is always available. When I began working in EOP she offered to meet with me bi-weekly to address questions or concerns I had. Lastly, Carole knows my passion for leading women and offered me the opportunity to co-facilitate the EOP Women’s Empowerment group she’s been running for the last four years. Carole is selfless and invested in the personal and professional growth of her peers."
"She is always engaged and represents the EOP department locally as well as nationally by participating in conferences, professional development opportunities, and campus-wide events with our union UUP. Over the years she has served as a committee member and co-chair for the Western New York Advising Conference to provide a platform for advisors to gather and learn best practices within higher education. Lastly, she has volunteered for events such as the Bengals Dare to Care Day, Community Clean Up Day with UUP, and department fundraisers and events."
"Carole is the connecting thread between our office and other departments on campus. She is an advocate for our EOP students and works diligently to ensure that incoming students are being awarded with the opportunities to academically and personally succeed. She currently serves as a liaison with Admissions and ensures that we are up to date with data on acceptances and readmits. Furthermore, her expertise in counseling allows her to assess the needs of our students and work closely with Weigel Counseling to appropriately refer them. Given her experience and knowledge, she is a great resource for new staff transitioning in our office. She has been instrumental in helping us train and acclimate staff to EOP and the college."
"Carole is an outstanding EOP counselor who goes above and beyond the call of duty to assist and mentor her students. She is readily available to provide guidance and support to students on a given day. She empowers and motivates them to reach their highest potential to persist and achieve greatness. She created the “Shades of Beauty” EOP Women’s Empowerment Group.
Her group of scholars, EOP’s Women’s Empowerment Group, work closely with her to promote a caring and civic community at Buffalo State. She Encourages community service to give back to our campus and EOP. She worked alongside her group to provide acts of kindness on our campus with words of wisdom and encouragement to place notes at random locations on campus. Carole is a nurturing and caring instructor who instructs UNC100 to many students who appreciate her honesty and integrity to prepare them as excellent student learners. She works with her advisees to promote learning, serving, strengthening and empowering through self-advocacy and community building. Carole takes time to meet with her students and understands the struggles that are faced by many. She supports students who may need a meal or much-needed supplies so they can thrive. I have enjoyed working along with Carole to promote best practices of advisement and improve strategies and techniques for student engagement. Carole is actively involved in our campus community, serving on a variety of committees to foster and promote student needs, wellbeing and best practices.
Carole is "student-centered" in her approach to all facets of her work. From attending our students’ events (performances, art show, etc.), to working alongside students on community service projects throughout the year, Carole is always contributing time and energy to make students have good role models, are aware of services available, and are ready to take on personal, academic and career challenges both during their years at Buffalo State and in their lives after graduating. Her counseling skills and efforts help students (whether her advisees or not) manage the struggles they face on an ongoing basis. Carole is a good role model for all of us."
"Any of the EOP staff, as well as many outside EOP, know that Carole is there, always, to provide support to students and that Carole will always go extra miles out of her way to help a student or staff member in need. Carole’s compassion is beyond explanation; let us just say that she has helped students smile and find comfort in even the worst of times. She has done this for staff as well.
Carole developed outreach programming that led to the formation of EOP’s Women’s Empowerment Group. This group she leads/mentors has helped dozens of EOP students directly by providing outlets for tackling life issues while managing everyday responsibilities including academics, work, and familial commitments. Each of my students who have participated with this group have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, how Carole, in particular, has helped them grow personally and develop skills for dealing with daily pressures. Through the group, these students have also relayed that they have been encouraged to give back to the campus and city communities, which includes participating in the Bengal Day of Caring. Carole herself leads Empowerment Group members in these activities. Seeing the group members’ and Carole’s achievements in campus work is inspiring to all EOP students and staff. As for campus involvement, whenever EOP needs volunteers or is asked by other departments for student volunteers, the members of the EOP Women’s Empowerment group are always the first to volunteer! At work or home, Carole leads a student-centered life as she is always reaching out to students and being there to help students (her advisees and the advisees of other EOP staff when needed). As our students’ obstacles take no day off, neither does Carole; she will help out any student (even non-EOP students) 24/7.
Carole is always looking for developments in the fields that correlate to her responsibilities and interests, and she is quick to adapt to changes to programming, campus requirements, and state/college mandates. Additionally, Carole is always willing to assist others in learning and adapting to changes that come our way while she also keeps everyone mindful of the campuses core values. As for change itself, Carole is always looking for ways to enhance EOP’s support offering and is subsequently a major inspiration for change that makes our services more effective and our students’ lives better."
