Julie Coile

Beaming with a bright smile and a welcome greeting, it’s not hard to miss Julie Coile in the Loch Shop. As senior director of Auxiliary Services Operations, she wears many hats—from managing the bookstore to supporting the daily operations of the LakerCard Center and Dining Services.

Julie says each day gives her a chance to engage with students and give back to the school that has given so much to her.

"Clayton State has changed my life and made more than one of my dreams real,” she says. “I really enjoy my work with Auxiliary Services. We try to enrich the students’ lives while they’re on campus by providing the services that they need in an environment that makes them feel at home. I believe that when students feel connected, they perform better in their academic classes. "

 

Julie’s journey to Clayton State started 15 years ago when the economic recession hit. Julie was working for a community bank, but in the middle of the recession it was shut down by the FDIC. Not deterred, she re-enrolled at Clayton State to finish her degree.

" The market was flooded with bankers at the time, so I thought to look at the job postings at my alma mater and saw a posting for the LakerCard manager, " Julie says. " Since the LakerCard has transactional functionality, it really wasn’t much different from banking. "

Julie got hired in September of 2011. She parlayed her experience in teaching, information technology, marketing, and owning a restaurant to managing a customer-driven department important to a university. About six years later, she moved up to manage daily operations of the bookstore, a challenging but fun experience.

"I’ve learned so much and it has afforded me the opportunity to engage with the campus community in a bigger way than before, " Julie says.

"I believe that when students feel connected, they perform better in their academic classes. " –Julie Coile, senior director of Auxiliary Services Operations

 

In the time she has been at Clayton State, Julie has made it her priority to get involved on campus. Be it increasing engagement among faculty, staff, and students with discounts and dining events, or by developing relationships with students through the work opportunities and internships the LochShop provides, Julie is committed to seeing Clayton State thrive.

" It’s the ‘put your money where your mouth is’ principle. I think if you believe in something, you should support it with all your resources—time, talent, and treasures; and in this case, treasure is our financial resources, " Julie says. “I think it also sends a great message to our student body that we really do believe in in them. "

Most recently, this mantra was put to the test when Julie was selected to serve as the staff co-chair for the annual Faculty and Staff Fund Drive. The experience gave her a chance to get out of her office and meet faculty and staff across campus. It also gave her an opportunity to promote the University’s culture of giving to mobilize people to participate in the fundraiser.

" I’m a former cheerleader, so rallying and encouraging come natural for me, " Julie says. “It takes time and deliberate action to cultivate a culture that feels connected to each other enough to mobilize their financial resources for the common good. "

For Julie, her mission each day is to make sure everyone on campus, especially students, feel connected to the University. It’s what drives her to be a part of the Laker family.

" Go to a basketball game, eat in the Dining Hall, dress up for the annual Loch Shop costume contest, see a performer in Spivey Hall,” she says. “In order for a family to thrive, they need to engage with one another. We all need to be deliberate about connecting with one another. The more effort we put into connection and engagement, the stronger our community grows! "

Back to the Spring 2019 issue