Latasha Hunt

I attribute a lot of my success to resilience, consistency, and being willing to keep learning. My journey has not been traditional, and I’ve learned to really value that. I spent several years away from school, but during that time I was working, growing professionally, learning how to communicate with different people, manage responsibilities, solve problems, and simply navigate adulthood. When I returned to college, I came back with a completely different level of focus and appreciation for the opportunity. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished since returning, but I’m even more proud that my story can show other nontraditional students that there is no expiration date on going back to school, changing direction, or pursuing something greater for yourself.

The best career advice I’ve received is to never stop learning. A degree is important, but I’ve learned that your growth cannot stop there. I try to intentionally look for opportunities to develop myself through professional development, certifications, microcredentials, conferences, leadership experiences, and simply being open to learning from the people around me. I think being teachable is one of the most valuable things you can carry throughout your career. No matter how much experience I gain, I never want to reach a point where I feel like I have nothing left to learn.

I would tell young women not to underestimate themselves or the experiences they already bring with them. Your journey does not have to look like everyone else’s for it to be valuable. Learn your field, but also invest in your communication skills, your ability to work with people, your understanding of data, and your leadership skills. I would also encourage them to ask questions, find mentors, build genuine relationships, and apply for opportunities even when they do not feel 100 percent ready. Sometimes we wait until we feel completely qualified before stepping forward, and I’ve learned that growth often happens because you were willing to step into the opportunity and learn along the way.

Working in higher education and enrollment management, I think one of the biggest opportunities right now is figuring out how to use technology without losing the human side of the work. We have access to more data, CRM systems, automation, and artificial intelligence than ever before, and those tools can help us communicate with students more effectively and make better decisions. At the same time, every student is more than an application, a number, or a data point. Many of them are navigating college for the first time, returning after time away, or trying to understand systems that can feel overwhelming. I think the opportunity is learning how to use innovation to make higher education feel more accessible and personal, not more complicated.

Integrity, service, accountability, growth, and empathy are probably the values that are most important to me. I believe in doing what I say I am going to do and treating people with respect, even when the conversation may be difficult. Service is also very important to me because I believe leadership is not only about what you accomplish personally, but also about how you help other people move forward. I value growth because I always want to keep learning and becoming better than I was before. And empathy is important because everyone is carrying a story that you may not know about. I can hold people accountable while still giving them grace, understanding, and dignity.