Cami Keitel had a hunch something special was brewing at Allen Community College last spring, when she was in town to interview for the newly vacated role of vice president of student affairs.
Keitel was touring the Iola campus, where she crossed paths with a number of students.
While they were happy to share their individual backgrounds, they also offered Keitel a question: How could they become more connected with the Iola community?
Fast forward to last August, after Keitel was hired onto the ACC administrative cabinet, where an entirely new batch of students sang a familiar refrain: “We want to be involved.”
Addressing the issue has become an integral part of Keitel’s approach to her role at Allen, and she’s excited about where it’s leading her.
“I really feel like the college is on the brink of something big,” Keitel said this week in a wide-ranging conversation.
As vice president of student affairs, Keitel is tasked with overseeing pretty much everything Allen offers its students outside the classroom, from admissions to advising, or helping with financial aid.
The role has given Keitel a keen insight into what she believes the college can offer students in an ever-changing educational experience.
FOR YEARS, Allen had been a leader in the state in online education.
“The past administration was really progressive and got ahead of the game,” Keitel explained. “We saw a lot of growth from that.”
But then came the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, which reverberated across the educational sphere.
Suddenly, all of the colleges and universities, at least for a while, were forced to offer online courses.
“Everyone caught up to us,” Keitel said.
Suddenly, Allen’s online growth stalled, a trend that has continued in the five years since, as fewer and fewer students enroll in online courses.
But that’s where Keitel sees a silver lining.
“Even though our overall enrollment is down, we’re seeing growth again here on campus,” she noted.
