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Joan Adams, assistant to the dean of
admission, stands outside the Office of Admission. |
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| Posted 07.13.05 |
Assistant to the Dean of Admission Sprints Between Budgeting Department
and Triathlons
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Q: Joan, you
are the assistant to the Dean of Admission. How long have you been in the
Office of Admission?
A: I started working in the office of admission in January of 2000.
Q: And what were you doing before that?
A: I was hired in August of 1999 and started my Wesleyan career in
the registrar’s office.
Q: What do you like most about working here after these five years?
A: There are many things that I love about working at Wesleyan. First
and foremost, I truly enjoy working with the office of admission staff. To
me this group is like my extended family. We all get along well and work
together as a team toward our common strategic goal of attracting and
retaining the best students for Wesleyan. Working at Wesleyan provides so
many benefits. Since I am a health and fitness nut, I appreciate the
opportunity to utilize Freeman Athletic Center nearly every day. The new
addition is just incredible and such an added bonus.
Q: Who do you primarily work with in the office?
A: I mostly assist Nancy Meislahn, dean of admission and financial
aid. We work well as a productive team and after four years together operate
in sync setting priorities and accomplishing as much as possible. As her
assistant I manage her calendar, coordinate domestic and international
travel, prepare correspondence and documents, and basically try to stay one
step ahead of her which is a major challenge!
I also assist and support Greg Pyke, senior associate dean, with travel
planning and statistical reporting for the University common data set and
college guidebooks. Greg and I also work together to coordinate the Wesleyan
High School Scholars Program which permits outstanding juniors and seniors
from area high schools to take one course per semester.
Q: What else do you do?
A: Along with supporting Nancy and Greg I oversee the admission
office budget and manage the prospects and applicants who have alumni
relations or other special interests. Every day is unique with many
challenges. I don’t personally meet with students and parents on a daily
basis but enjoy working at the registration table during our open houses in
the fall and WesFest in the spring. I also work with University Relations to
schedule special tours and interviews for alumni relatives.
Q: What is the busiest time of the year for you and why?
A: It is impossible to pick a time that we aren’t busy in admission.
The summer months are very hectic and exciting with prospective students and
their parents visiting campus; the deans travel extensively through the fall
and January 1st is our application deadline for regular admission. November
through April is the busiest time for me personally. Summer marks the end of
the cycle as the Class of 2009 matriculates in August, but we’ve already
begun to recruit the Class of 2010!
Q: What were you doing before? Are you a Connecticut native?
A: I grew up in Lake Placid and Greenwich, New York, and received an
associate’s degree in travel administration from Bay Path College and a
bachelor’s of science degree in management from Central Connecticut State
University. I have lived in Massachusetts, California and Florida working a
variety of jobs in sales, for example contract office furniture and food
service, and more recently in human resources and benefits administration so
my background is very diverse to say the least.
Q: Are you involved in any organizations or volunteer services?
A: Last winter I volunteered with the “Mom’s Program” through New
Britain General Hospital. The program trains young mothers in parenting
classes and while they are in class the volunteers care for their children,
mostly infants. Prior to the Mom’s Program I volunteered on the hospice unit
at Middlesex Hospital.
I tend to volunteer during the winter months as I spend most of my free time
in the summer months training for sprint triathlons.
Q: What’s involved in a triathlon?
A: The sprint level tri’s are usually a half mile swim, 10 to14 miles
on a bike and 5k run in length. The swim segment was most intimidating to me
so I joined a Masters Swim group in September, thanks to Tom DiMauro in IT,
and enjoyed swimming with an over-40 group through the winter. It was lots
of fun.
Q: I doubt many people will believe you’re over 40 when they see the
photo with your profile. So, is there anyone in your life worth mentioning?
A: Next month I am thrilled to be celebrating six years with my
partner, Mary. She is the one who puts that smile on my face. My 83-year-old
mom, Virginia lives in New Hampshire with her companion, Jim and they travel
between New Hampshire and Florida each year. I have a sister, Cindy, who
lives in Florida and brother, Greg and wife Nancy living at Ballston Lake,
New York – and four nieces, two nephews and a great niece on the way!
Q: What are your other hobbies and interests?
A: Mary and I spend as much time as we can working in our yard and
enjoying time with our family and friends. We love to travel and have taken
several trips abroad and have traveled extensively in the US. |
| By
Olivia Bartlett, The Wesleyan Connection
editor |
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