Blog Archives

The Administrative & Professional Collaborative (APC) is the representative voice for the Administrative & Professional employees of FSCJ. In an effort to build cohesiveness, awareness and collegiality, each month we put a spotlight on one of our members.

Since joining FSCJ in January 2017, Lauren has built her career around helping students find their path to success. She began as a Student Success Advisor I at Kent Campus, supporting New Student Orientation, and has since served in a variety of student services roles, including Academic & Career Advisor, Associate Director of Advising Services, Associate Director of Admissions, Campus Director of Enrollment and Student Services, and now Director of Orientation and Student Services.

In addition to her leadership role, Lauren also serves as an adjunct professor, teaching IDS 1107. This allows her to stay closely connected to students in the classroom while also shaping their experience across the College in meaningful ways.

A proud FSCJ success story, Lauren is a graduate of FSCJ's Adult Education program, where she earned her GED before continuing her educational journey at the College. She went on to earn both her Associate in Arts degree and Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management from FSCJ. She later completed her Master of Education degree from Liberty University.

Lauren is passionate about helping students navigate their transition to college and creating experiences that help them feel welcomed, supported, and prepared for success. Having experienced many of the same challenges and milestones as the students she serves, she is committed to helping them achieve their educational goals and recognize their potential.

Outside the office, Lauren loves spending time with her husband, Herschel, and their four children. Whether she’s getting lost in a great book or tackling the biggest roller coasters at theme parks with her kids, she’s always up for a new adventure.

Our spotlight shines on each campus/center at least once a year. Nominations for the spotlight may be directed to your campus representative or any officer.

Learn more about APC here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1024098564929654

We appreciate the incredible support the FSCJ family provided for our Campus Discovery Days. Your enthusiasm, expertise and willingness to support this four-campus showcase created interactive, high energy experiences that highlighted the FSCJ culture, learning environment and student support for prospective students and their families. 

Campus Discovery Days originated from the concept of hosting open house-like events at each campus. The events came to fruition through your collaboration, enthusiasm and commitment to help area families discover or re-discover their community’s college. The Student Recruitment Office appreciates the campus teams, department personnel and student volunteers for contributing time and energy from February to May to make these events successful. 

Campus Discovery Days Registered Attendance
South Campus Discovery Day: 250
Downtown Campus Discovery Day: 170
Kent Campus Discovery Day: 122
North Campus Discovery Day: 121

Let’s keep the momentum going as we welcome our future Manta Rays. We look forward to more successful Campus Discovery Days next year. 

May Recruitment By the Numbers:
•    Events: 25, Student Connections: 682
•    Individual campus tours: 6, Tour participants: 18

Upcoming Events:
6/23: REACH Academy Summer Camp at South Campus
6/25: Level Up Summer Camp Simulation Lab Tour at North Campus

Tales from the recruitment trail. This brief message showing education is a family affair was dropped in the chat by a participant in the virtual FSCJ All In: Money Matters session last term:  
"Thank you. Extremely informative. My sister and I are on with our mom."

Whether it’s a new initiative or one that’s tried and true, we’d appreciate hearing your thoughts and/or having your participation. We want to hear from you, and our prospective students would greatly benefit from your insights as they explore Manta Ray Nation. If you’re interested in participating in recruitment events, please email us at the Student Recruitment Office with the subject line “Dive into Manta Ray Nation.”

The Career Employees' Council (CEC) is the representative voice for the Career employees of FSCJ, with the goal to be committed to the continuous development of a collaborative work environment whereby the value and respect of Career employees are elevated through increased recognition, involvement and opportunities to achieve a higher degree of excellence. In this spirit, we put a "spotlight" on one of our members each month.

June's Career Employees' Council (CEC) spotlight features Academic Department Coordinator Olive Millan, a dedicated and dynamic member of the FSCJ community, bringing both passion and precision to her role since joining the College in January 2021. In her position, she supports her Dean, the Humanities staff, faculty, and students, and serves as the Talent Scholarship Coordinator and fund manager. Olive's work extends across coordinating departmental initiatives—especially within the fine and performing arts—and ensuring that key projects run smoothly.

What drives Olive is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on students’ lives. She takes great pride in helping talented students pursue their educational goals through Talent Scholarships, particularly in the fine and performing arts. Beyond student support, she finds fulfillment in the analytical side of her work, including data analysis, term scheduling and course encoding—areas where her attention to detail and problem-solving skills shine.

Collaboration is at the heart of Olive’s approach. She actively contributes to continuous improvement efforts by working across departments, sharing knowledge and developing tools that enhance efficiency. Whether mentoring colleagues or creating Excel-based solutions to streamline processes, Olive is committed to making work easier and more effective for those around her.

Olive’s journey into higher education began at the University of North Florida, where she studied Psychology and Construction Management, with a minor in Mathematical Sciences. While working as a Student Assistant in First-Year Advising, she discovered a passion for supporting others in their academic and personal growth—a passion that continues to shape her career today.

In addition to her primary responsibilities, Olive has been an active member of the Academic Scheduling Team, working with CourseDog for the past 2.5 years. She is also involved in the Lean Six Sigma Group, contributing to initiatives to improve academic queries and institutional processes.

Outside of work, Olive embraces creativity and adventure. She enjoys painting and spending time with her dog, Pippin. When she’s not at home, you might find her traveling, hiking in the mountains, SCUBA diving or even skydiving—always ready for her next exciting experience.

Our spotlight seeks to showcase a CEC representative from each campus/center at least once a year. Nominations for the spotlight may be directed to the CEC Publicity Committee Chair Vanessa Gordon at CEC@fscj.edu. Learn more about CEC on our SharePoint website, https://fscj.sharepoint.com/teams/CareerEmployeeCouncil.