Following the departure of former Outreach Coordinator Maryam Attai earlier this semester, Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickelson- Shanks will assume her vacated position.

Nickelson-Shanks will remain as student life coordinator until the college hires a replacement while he learns and transitions into his new role.

“I have a lot of love for Student Life,” Nickelson Shanks said. “I’m doing what I can at the moment to make sure that the transition is smooth, so the new person knows exactly what to do and what the day-to-day routine looks like.”

He said when the new person is hired he will make himself available to them.

“My office is going to be right across the quad (in the SSC Building). It will only take a phone call or email and I’ll walk over there if I’m available,” Nickelson-Shanks said.

Dean of Students Dennis Franco said that he will be interviewing a candidate for the position later this week.

“I will be interviewing his replacement this week and hope to have the candidate in place very soon,” Franco said.

Even though the Associated Students Union was shocked to learn of his announcement, ASU President Rebecca Hernandez said that it was “bittersweet” moment.

“I was initially sad and shocked,” she said. “Joel has been an immense help to ASU and Student Life throughout his time here.”

Nickelson-Shanks said he feels he is qualified for the position because he knows CCC so well.

He attended Middle College High School and he grew up in the area.

Franco believes Nickelson-Shanks has the drive to work hard and figure out ways to improve whatever he works on.

“He understands the needs of the community and potential students. He also understands the gaps that we need to address to improve our outreach efforts,” Franco said.

“Joel (Nickelson-Shanks) is excellent with managing relationships with both our eternal and external partners and is an excellent event planner,” which he said is important for that position. “I 100 percent believe that I am qualified for the job,” Nickelson-Shanks said. “I am a part of this community and I was raised in this community and I’ve been around CCC for 15 years now. I resemble the people we outreach too.”

Hernandez believes that Nickelson-Shanks has the ability to connect with students on a much more personal level.

“I hope his expertise will provide insight to the Outreach Program that they might not have had prior to his promotion,” she said.

Nickelson-Shanks will be letting students in the community know about CCC’s programs and organizations.

He will also provide prospective students access to the campus.

“We will try to bridge that gap. We’ll go out and talk on campuses, let them know about the registration process and how long it takes to graduate,” Nickelson-Shanks said.

He is looking forward to further progressing his career and helping CCC in this new role. Nickelson-Shanks expects to work on making resources on campus more available for incoming students.

“We have a bunch of new programs and resources that will be helpful to students who are just coming out of high school,” Nickelson- Shanks said.