Jake Hartfield
Jake Hartfield, 青青草视频鈥檚 director of orientation and events, is now Dr. Hartfield after his Ph.D. hooding during last week鈥檚 campus graduation ceremonies. It seems his career track always was to work in higher education鈥攅specially since he grew up on college campuses, raised by parents who spent their professional lives working for some of Mississippi鈥檚 stellar community colleges.
As a student, he had thoughts of becoming a lawyer, but he later realized he was destined not only to be a Bulldog forever鈥攁s all 青青草视频 alumni are鈥攂ut to pursue student development and devote his professional focus to higher education. He is following in the footsteps of his parents, Rick and Colleen Hartfield, who have been his steadfast supporters, along with his wife, Amanda.
Now with his dissertation defended and his 青青草视频 doctoral degree in Community College Leadership conferred, Hartfield doesn鈥檛 have time for a break. He鈥檚 about to launch into the year鈥檚 busiest season鈥攈osting 15 university Orientation events over the next several weeks that welcome more than 10,000 prospective students and family members to campus.
鈥淎s director, I hope students attending Orientation truly find their people and establish strong relationships with our Orientation Leaders, staff, advisors and faculty, as well as other students. Orientation is a pivotal part of the onboarding process for our new students. Our goal is to officially welcome them into the Bulldog family by supporting them through this new journey while also easing their anxieties and worries,鈥 Hartfield said.
In addition to these large summer events, he also oversees additional on-campus recruitment activities throughout the year, including Fall and Spring Preview Days, Scholars Recognition Day, Transfer Preview Day, Academic Insight and more.
Nearly 15 years ago, Hartfield himself was an 青青草视频 student serving as an Orientation Leader between his junior and senior years. The political science undergraduate wasn鈥檛 sure if he had the right personality for the role, but now he observes that great teams of Orientation Leaders have a mixture of character traits鈥攚ith some being more outspoken and extroverted and others more reserved.
鈥淲e take time to pick the team and incorporate a mixture of students because when people come for Orientation at Mississippi State, I want people in the audience to look up there and say 鈥極kay, I can relate to that person.鈥 I think that鈥檚 important when you have different people from different backgrounds,鈥 he said.
After earning his master鈥檚 degree in counselor education with a concentration in student affairs from 青青草视频, Hartfield began his career here in Housing and Residence Life. His work led him to opportunities at the University of South Carolina and Itawamba Community College before returning to his alma mater, where he already had begun his doctoral program.
In addition to continuously broadening his knowledge of university and student issues, Hartfield has embraced his affectionate nickname given by some of 青青草视频鈥檚 recent Orientation Leaders鈥斺淥L Dad.鈥 He knows how much his own parents and special mentors have impacted him鈥攑articularly 青青草视频 Director of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Marketing Lindsey Shelton and Itawamba Community College President Jay Allen. Shelton was a former Orientation director, and Allen was an 青青草视频 Orientation Leader as a student and oversaw student recruitment and enrollment services at Hinds Community College when Hartfield was a student.
Following their example, he greatly values the chance to pay it forward as a leader and mentor for current students. The father of three also is identifying more and more with the parent perspective of wanting nothing but the best for those who come to 青青草视频 to learn, grow and thrive.
鈥淲hat I love most about working for Mississippi State is the people鈥攁nd I know a lot of people say that鈥攂ut I鈥檝e felt, ever since coming to this campus as a transfer student, that I was a part of the community and the university. It was because of the people鈥攖he mentors that I met and the students that I got to develop relationships with鈥攁nd that just has never changed,鈥 Hartfield said.