Alum helping students navigate New College

Kaylie Stokes ’16 is no stranger to New College. As the new assistant director of student success programs in the Student Success & Advocacy office, she has the opportunity to help students become more familiar with all that the campus has to offer.
Being a graduate of New College, Stokes knows the intricacies of the academic system and can relate to the academic and social struggles that a lot of students face. She is aware that the things that make New College special and wonderful are often the things that can leave students confused and stressed out while first navigating campus.
“At New College we have different acronyms, mini-classes, contracts, theses and other things that look very different from a typical college or university,” says Stokes. “My job is to ease the transition and support our students with skill-building opportunities that will make them successful on campus and beyond.”
Stokes works with students one-on-one to build individualized success plans and plans to host a workshop series that will assist in the development of time management, organization, study and presentation skills, project management, financial literacy, and much more.
“We want our students defining their own success in the classroom and beyond,” says Stokes. “Our role is to help provide tools and strengthen their skills to get them there.”
Stokes believes her undergraduate experience at New College helps her create a level of trust and empathy with current students. As an alumnus, she’s also invested in the institution’s well-being.
“I love being able to play a role in improving the college for future Novos while enjoying the campus community and building relationships with those around me,” says Stokes. “It is incredibly fulfilling to work here as an alum.”
Stokes is eager for the new-look Student Success & Advocacy office to finally get things rolling now that the 2019-20 school year has arrived. The office is currently in the process of hiring student success coaches, who will be peer coaches who meet one-on-one with students to work on those skills.
— Derek Devine is the social media manager at New College of Florida.