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Trustee-Alum Comes Full Circle

Oct 5, 2022 | Stories

Mitchell College Trustee Cornell Yarbrough ’01 fondly remembers words of wisdom imparted to him as a student by one of his Mitchell professors: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

“I love that line,” Cornell said.

Living your unique story – not trying to live someone else’s – is an ingredient for living a joyful life, and Cornell’s Mitchell experience was one part of his recipe.

“When I arrived on the Mitchell campus,” he said, “my intention was just to attend college and live on a campus while I figured everything out. I didn’t have a specific plan. I was drawn to the school for its campus, the individual attention a smaller college like Mitchell can provide and the amazing teachers. Mitchell was beautiful, transformative and fun.”

Cornell began his Mitchell career as a sport management major before changing to liberal arts. He earned his associate degree in 2001 and went on to Hofstra University to earn his bachelor’s degree in communications in 2004.

“I learned discipline and how to focus at Mitchell College, which helped me tremendously in my success at Hofstra,” he said.

Today, he excels in the communications field as an on-air personality and DJ for iHeart Radio in New York and Boston. He also pays his success forward as CEO of Whutever it takes DJ Academy – an innovative afterschool program that exposes students in grades 4 through 12 to a unique form of learning music, communication and improvisation, all which can be the foundation for future careers.

A soon-to-be-author, he is also working on a line of children’s books to inspire youth through music.

“I’m excited because the storyline will show that all children are created equal and can overcome any obstacle in life, whether they have disabilities or not.”

As a Mitchell student, Cornell involved himself in many activities.

“I was on the baseball team, in the multicultural club and worked in the campus bookstore. I was also a resident assistant for Matteson Hall. Some of my favorite memories at Mitchell were family weekends, on-campus parties in the club room, talent shows in Clarke Center Auditorium and laughing with friends in the lobby of Matteson Hall.”

As a Mitchell trustee and an alumnus, Cornell is in a unique position to help move the college forward.

“Being an alumnus informs my work as a trustee by allowing me to have a similar perspective of a future, current or past Mitchell student. I can bring information to my fellow trustees about events and other ideas that can enrich the student experience at Mitchell.”

Helping Mitchell and Its Students Flourish

Oct 5, 2022 | Stories

Having worked for 17 years at Mitchell College in various roles, Kim Hodges ’03 recently returned to the school after a 10-year hiatus. Now the director of development, she is eager to do her part to help both her alma mater and its students flourish and thrive.

“I feel an affinity to Mitchell for helping me accomplish my educational goals, earning my bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies. More than that, I have seen students accomplish more than they ever thought possible. When I speak to someone that Mitchell has made a profound impact on or impacted their child, it makes me feel great. We each have a role in helping our students learn, grow and discover their bright futures and their best selves,” she said.

Kim was a non-traditional student who went back to school after her son was born.

“The family-owned business I had worked at since high school closed. I knew I wanted to go back to college, so I visited several in the area. None of the programs seemed to be a good fit for me. My best friend had attended Mitchell, loved it and thought it would be great for me. I saw that there was a part-time opening in the registrar’s office, so I applied for the job, started working at Mitchell and taking classes. My best friend was right. Mitchell was the perfect fit for me!” Kim said.

As a college student, Kim said she was an intelligent person but a non-confident learner, especially in the areas of math and writing. She credits her professors with changing that.

“Ann Keating, my statistics professor, took me to lunch and helped bolster my confidence. And the best academic day of my life was having Dr. Don Helms, my psychology professor, tell me I was a good writer. He also nurtured my desire to speak and encouraged me to attend the Connecticut Storytelling Conference at Connecticut College,” she said.

Kim said that after attending that conference, she became one of the storytellers at the Psychology Department’s Halloween Festival and also told stories at other events.

“I truly believe that without the support of the Mitchell community, I would not have had the courage to pursue something that has made such a positive impact on my life and has led me to meet people all over the United States,” she said.

In addition to using her newfound skills for the benefit of the Mitchell community, Kim has also presented and written professionally on topics related to both secondary and higher education, ranging from “Thirty Questions You Should Ask Before Sending Your LD Child to College” to “Preparing for College Through Military Service.”

Kim said, “Without the Mitchell faculty’s encouragement and support, I would not have had the courage to pitch stories to magazines or present at national and regional conferences. Not only did the faculty support me in these efforts, Kevin Mayne, my supervisor at the time, provided additional coaching and opportunities to grow in this area.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Job Takes Alumna ‘Out to Ballgame’

Oct 5, 2022 | Stories

When Emily Mitchell ’20 began at Mitchell College, she had a goal of becoming a sitcom writer. As time went on, her interest changed.

“I rediscovered my love of sports and started gravitating towards sports media, such as journalism, broadcasting, social media and video production. As a student, I attended a lot of athletics games on campus and made friends watching post-season baseball in the lobby of the residence halls. I’ve always been someone with a lot of ‘school spirit,’ so I loved going to games of any sport, and as a competitive person, I was passionate about winning, especially during the baseball season,” she said.

Emily majored in communication with a concentration in sport management. She was also one of the students who helped to create Mitchell’s sports broadcasting team through Radio Mitchell. After graduation, she found her way to the Hickory Crawdads, a Minor League Baseball team in North Carolina, affiliated with the Texas Rangers, a Major League Baseball team.

She works as both a group sales executive and on-field host for the Crawdads, sharing her passion for the sport with young and old alike.

“As a group sales executive, I love being able to work with my clients, who are often families or businesses, to create the best experience possible for them. The most challenging aspect of that job is finding creative ways to solve problems, but that makes the job exciting,” Emily said.

As the on-field host, Emily emcees while hosting fan games, like Dizzy Bat, Launch-A-Ball and trivia. She also sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the middle of the 7th inning.

“Being an on-field host allows me to interact with so many fans at the ballpark. It’s also a great way to keep the energy high there, but it can be challenging to stay within the allotted time limit and to make sure younger kids don’t get nervous.”

Thanks to her Mitchell education, however, Emily feels well-equipped to handle many situations that arise in her job.

“I spend most of my day communicating with people. At Mitchell, I learned the basics of effective communication in a business setting and sharpened my communication skills by never being afraid to ask questions.”

She also problem-solves and draws on her understanding of diverse perspectives.

“Nothing is predictable in the sports world, and there are always problems to solve, whether it’s an unaccounted-for food order or a fan upset about a rain delay. Working as a Resident Assistant and being in the Honors Program at Mitchell, I learned how to listen to the needs of others and think creatively about how to solve problems. Also, as someone who moved from New England to North Carolina, I’ve had to address cultural differences here – which has been difficult but rewarding – and have worked to make the Crawdad fan experience more inclusive.”

Emily has a goal of pursuing a graduate degree in marketing or sports management/athletic administration. She credits Mitchell College with pointing her in that direction.

“I was drawn to Mitchell for its location between New York City and Boston. Now I know that Mitchell was the best place for me because of its close community, supportive faculty and staff and the ability to tailor my education to what I needed. Mitchell made it easier to challenge myself academically when I needed it and helped me to realize the passion that I am pursuing now.”

Mitchell Welcomes New Trustees

Sep 14, 2022 | News

The Mitchell College Board of Trustees is proud to announce six new members who have been welcomed over the last year. New trustees include Andrew Koha, assistant vice president of government relations at Principle LTC; Cornell Yarbrough, DJ and founder of Whutever it takes DJ Academy, and Mitchell College alumnus; Kerin Da Cruz, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for L+M Healthcare/Yale New Haven Health; Norman Solomon, J.D., entrepreneur; Jason Guyot, president and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mitchell College alumnus; and Michael J. O’Connor, site vice president of Dominion Energy’s Millstone Power Station.

Board of Trustees Chair Richard D’Avino said, “Together with my fellow trustees, I am thrilled to welcome these six new colleagues to the Mitchell College Board of Trustees. They perfectly represent the breadth and diversity of the vibrant Mitchell College community, including senior executives of three of Connecticut’s largest and most successful employers, a Mitchell College parent, experts in healthcare and distinguished Mitchell alumni. I know that the entire community joins me in thanking each of them for their dedication and service to Mitchell College.

The new trustees join the board at a time of growth and transformation at Mitchell College, as the college embarks on its new strategic plan, strengthens outreach in the community, builds new partnerships, and develops new programming aligned with workforce, community and student needs.”

Initiatives currently in development or underway include the Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence, which will drive industry-demand curricular offerings in STEM and behavioral health; a partnership with University of Saint Joseph to offer its Master of Social Work program on the Mitchell campus; and a dual-enrollment partnership with New London Public Schools, providing opportunities for New London High School students to gain both college credit and experience through on-campus Mitchell College coursework.

The addition of the expertise and talent of these six newest trustees to an already extraordinary Board of Trustees comes at an exciting time for Mitchell College.

Mitchell Joins Great Northeast Athletic Conference

Sep 13, 2022 | News

Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, Mitchell College will be a core member — one of 16 schools — of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. The move comes after Mitchell’s current conference, the New England Collegiate Conference, will cease to be an NCAA Division III Athletic Conference, as of Fall 2023.

The larger conference provides Mitchell’s 12 varsity sports – baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball and women’s volleyball – the opportunity for all programs to compete in the NCAA tournament should they win the conference tournament.

Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, Mitchell College president, said, “Mitchell College is honored to have been invited to join the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Being part of the GNAC is a huge win for our coaches, students and the institution as a whole. We look forward to being in great company with the other GNAC institutions of excellence.”

New England College is also joining the GNAC next fall. Other member institutions include Albertus Magnus College, Anna Maria College, Colby-Sawyer College, Dean College, Elms College, Emmanuel College, Johnson & Wales University, Lasell University, Norwich University, Regis College, Rivier University, University of Saint Joseph, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine and Simmons University.

“The addition of Mitchell and New England College will provide continued stability to our current 22 championship offerings, and possibly allow for more GNAC championship opportunities in the future,” said Joe Walsh, commissioner of the GNAC. “The geographical location of the two schools also allows our administrators to discuss further divisional play options, while it also helps reduce student-athlete missed class time academically.”

Matt Finlayson, Mitchell College director of athletics, said, “The GNAC is a wonderful fit for us that will have a positive impact for all of our student-athletes and programs. Becoming a member of the GNAC provides us with an opportunity to continue to grow and enhance athletics. It’s regionally located and is comprised of members that we can compete with while sharing similar institutional values. We are excited and looking forward to the future in the GNAC.”