CUPPA Hires First College Recruiter
Dametrius Coleman Joins Academic Affairs
CUPPA’s Office of Academic Affairs is proud to welcome Dametrius Coleman as the college’s first college recruiter. Coleman, who is a current master’s student in the Public Administration Department, will help assist CUPPA in attracting a diverse student body to its undergraduate and graduate programs. He will build upon CUPPA’s existing diversity by actively recruiting underrepresented students to all our degree programs, reflecting the CUPPA's core values and commitments.
Prior to his time as in the MPA program, he also worked in UIC’s admissions office, a background that’s essential to his vision for his work as a recruiter, hoping to show prospective students the value of connecting with the lively community at CUPPA. Having also attended UIC as an undergrad, Coleman understands the importance of ensuring students understand what’s available to them in the College.
“Sometimes recruitment focuses on rankings and financial assistance, and those are important, but they don’t mean too much if students don’t feel connected to the mission of the college,” Coleman said. “[What’s] also important about recruitment is not just getting students to come here, but making sure they are in the right place in terms of their academic and personal interests.”
Coleman said he’s benefitted from the intimate nature of the CUPPA community. In contrast with the larger undergraduate student body, his time as a master’s student has been marked by a closeness that he hopes others will find in the program.
“CUPPA is a small college, and you know so many people around you,” he said. “You build relationships with people, whether they be faculty or students, and you really feel a part of what CUPPA is trying to do in the University and community.”
Coleman grew up in North Lawndale on Chicago’s Southwest Side. While he noted that many in his community failed to graduate and attend college, his experience in the Chicago Public School system, and the opportunity to attend UIC as an undergraduate, was a “life changing” experience that he hopes others may soon share. Coleman said his focus will be on making sure “everyday” students feel at home within the program. It’s his goal to ensure that others have as many opportunities as possible within the program.
“I didn’t always have the resources that I needed as a young person, and I want to make sure students have opportunities to attend college and to connect to their passion and interests,” he said. “I want to be someone that changes the notion that administration and staff are just here to help the University.”
According to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Brenda Parker, Coleman’s arrival comes at an opportune moment for the College. With the recent addition of undergraduate degrees in Urban Studies and Public Policy and the addition of three new Master’s programs, it’s essential that the College continue to extend its outreach efforts into the wider community.
“CUPPA is a college that is growing in size and influence at a time when talented, skilled, and diverse workers dedicated to public service and the cultivation of just resilient and livable communities is needed more than ever,” Parker said. “Dametrius' skills and experience, along with his passion for the mission of CUPPA ensure that he will lead us in the right direction for our recruitment endeavors.”