Her Story
About LaTysha
I began my journey in higher education after working as a resident assistant during my undergraduate years at William Patterson University, where I discovered my passion for student development and leadership. After graduating in the mid-1990s, I spent about 5-6 years in the corporate sector, but I realized I wasn't making the direct impact on people that I wanted to make. I was affecting organizations, which indirectly impacts people, but it wasn't direct enough for me. My mentor from my undergraduate days encouraged me to return to higher education, telling me I could fulfill my servanthood and make a real impact. That led me to Kean University, where I spent 16 years, and now I've been at Berkeley College for approximately 10 years, totaling about 26-27 years in higher education. Today, as Campus Operating Officer at Berkeley College, I oversee all daily campus activities, work with every department to ensure student retention and experience, manage enrollment strategies, and serve on the President's Council as senior leadership. I also teach as an adjunct professor when my schedule allows. What I find most rewarding is when people confide in me and trust me with their lives - whether it's a student from 20 years ago asking me to help pick out an engagement ring because his mother passed away, or mentees of all ages reaching out for career advice and salary negotiation help. Those moments truly show me that what I'm doing is worthwhile and coming back to me in wonderful ways.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with LaTysha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the foundation I built in high school through leadership roles like being class president, a peer leader, and an all-county, all-state basketball player. That leadership experience really propelled me into where I am now - I didn't see it at that point, but it was definitely foundational. My mentor during my undergraduate years at William Patterson poured into me the importance of development and ensuring that you're doing something that has an impact on others as well. She taught me about servanthood and making a direct impact on people's lives. My main focus is what I say to everyone: there's a dash between our dates - when we actually arrived here and when we'll depart from here - and I want to make sure that dash stands for something strong and that people are remembering all that I've done. I learned early on through my academic journey how to plan and execute, stay focused, effectively prioritize, and be effective at multitasking, and those skills have served me throughout my entire career.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are making a direct impact on people's lives and being of service to my community. I realized early in my corporate career that I was making an impact on organizations, which indirectly affects people, but it wasn't direct enough for me. I needed to fulfill my servanthood and make a meaningful difference in individual lives. Spending quality time with family is very important to me - I have two children, a daughter who is in her twenties and a son who is a teenager, and I prioritize that time with them. I also believe strongly in being someone people can confide in and trust. The most rewarding part of my work is when people really confide and believe in the connection they have with me, whether it's for career advice, life decisions, or just being a connector to help them find the resources they need. My faith is central to everything I do - as an ordained deacon, I do a lot of outreach, and I make sure to pray on important decisions. Ultimately, I want to make sure that the dash between my birth and death dates stands for something strong and that people remember all that I've done.
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