Meet NFC Recruitment Coordinator Allison Finley

Meet NFC Recruitment Coordinator Allison Finley Feb 2022

MADISON, FL (March 1, 2022) - North Florida College Recruitment Coordinator Allison Finley is approaching her one-year anniversary in the NFC Office of Advising, Recruitment and Retention. Since joining the Sentinel family last summer, she has helped start new initiatives to recruit students to the College and championed NFC as an excellent choice for education and workforce training.

Attend NFC Open House - March 5, 2022

What is the most rewarding part of your job here at NFC? When I see the “aha moment” on faces of individuals as they realize that going to college truly is something they can achieve.

What is the most important thing you hope to accomplish in your role as Recruitment Coordinator? Creating, and possibly changing, the culture in our communities that NFC is a great start to more – whether it's furthering an education or a profession, NFC can offer everyone more opportunities to be successful.

What makes NFC a great place to work? We are all on the same team. Regardless of department, position, background, age, etc., we work together and support one another for one common goal - to help students achieve their educational or professional dreams.

Set the record straight: What is a common misconception people have about college/NFC that you wish people knew more about? NFC is commonly overlooked as a provider of an exceptional education. Which couldn’t be further from the truth. We have award winning faculty, in both our academic and workforce programs. NFC alumni have gone on to work with elite national and international companies such as SpaceX, Georgia-Pacific, and WGI. Our graduates are doctors, lawyers, scientists, nurses, teachers, IT innovators, and entrepreneurs just to list a few occupations. Whether an individual dreams of working locally, in Florida, in the US or abroad, NFC’s faculty give students the competitive education they need to excel in today’s job market.

Why are you most proud to be an NFC alum? Short story: It gave me the start I needed to be successful at FSU. Long story: NFC’s small class sizes gave me an opportunity to work closely with faculty and student groups, which helped me better understand complex courses like Calculus I & II and Chemistry. NFC professors gave me the push I needed to be successful here and at FSU, where I graduated with an Information Studies degree (which has changed its name to Information Technology) with a concentration in Network Administration.

How does your connection to NFC help you in your current role and/or help you connect with potential students in our district? I’m able to relate to students and community members – I’m a local high school graduate, and while I could not wait to leave the small-town life, I was not ready to “go big” right away. I needed more time in a smaller, one-on-one environment to figure out what college life was all about and to prepare myself to take care of myself all by myself. The two years I spent at NFC were directly responsible for my success at FSU.

Any interesting facts about your NFC journey? I was in a musical, “Something’s Afoot”, with NFC alum and coworker Denise Bell, where she played for the orchestra.

Tell us more about the mini-preview events you've been coordinating for the College and why it's so important to get high school students on the NFC campus before their senior year. Studies show that students who engage with college starting their sophomore year are 50% more likely to go to college. We want to be the college with which they engage, and be the open door to opportunities they never thought possible. The Mini-previews offer sophomores and juniors the chance to experience programs of study, campus tours, and interact with faculty, staff, and current students.

Finley, an NFC alumna, graduated with her A.A. degree in 1998. She continued her education at Florida State University earning a degree in Information Studies (now Information Technology). A resident of Perry, Finley is married to Chuck Finley and has two children, Caden (15) and Avery (13). Caden is currently a high school dual-enrolled student at NFC.

Connect with NFC Recruitment Coordinator Allison Finley at 850-973-9407 or finleya@nfc.edu. Potential students can also plan a visit to campus at www.nfc.edu/getting-started/visit-nfc.

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