That’s why he’s chosen to be called Admissions Counselor rather than Admissions Recruiter, even though much of his time will be spent recruiting students to Dalton State from area high schools and through college fairs.

“As an Admissions Counselor, I want students to know that I’m here for them even after they arrive,” says Matthew, a 2003 graduate of Dalton State. “One of my main goals is to show students that at Dalton State you can get the traditional college experience minus some of the negative experiences and dangers that you can face at other schools. “

And they need to know that they can have the full student package here. All they have to do is to get involved.”

Being involved was central to Matthew’s profound love for the college, which he calls his “home away from home.” As a student worker, he says he learned almost as much from those he worked with and through his extracurricular activities as he did in the classroom.
 

He was also a member of the College Bowl team which gave him opportunities to travel. And he was named National Student Programmer of the Year during the Association for the Professionalism of Campus Activities conference in 2002.

He met life-changing professors here, including Dr. Tom Veve and Dr. Tom Deaton, who made history and geography come alive, and spurned his desire to earn a social studies teaching certificate from another University System of Georgia institution.

Last year, Matthew taught social studies classes at Northwest High School and served as the assistant basketball coach under the tutelage of Margaret Stockburger, head coach. Under her lead, he learned organizational skills and sharpened his interpersonal relations skills, he says, noting that she taught him a great deal about “taking care of others.”

Matthew has several goals for his new position in Enrollment Services. One is two widen the College’s geographic recruiting scope, taking the “good news” of Dalton State to more outlying counties. Another is to encourage students to become more involved in all of the activities the College has to offer.

“I’m a firm believer in this school and the people who teach here and work here,” says Matthew. “I want to share my excitement about Dalton State with the new students and Student Ambassadors I’ll be working with. I don’t feel like I’m selling something that will let people down.”

Matthew looks forward to working with someone he’s long admired, Dr. Angela Harris, Director of Admissions, whom he calls a “truly dynamic and genuine person.”

For his future, Matthew’s dreams of eventually earning a master’s and a Ph.D. in the history field and teaching on the college level. But while he’s waiting for that dream to come true, Matthew plans to enjoy his other “dream job,” spreading the good news of Dalton State as a newly-hired Admissions Counselor.