Kayla McKay
New Haven
Summary
Professional admissions specialist equipped with robust understanding of admissions process and student engagement. Skilled in evaluating applications, guiding prospective students, and leveraging data to inform decision-making. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results, adaptable to changing needs. Skilled in communication, problem-solving, and relationship management, with commitment to fostering inclusive and supportive environment.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Admissions Specialist, School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT
07.2024 - Current
- Advises prospective nursing students on application, transfer credit review and related admission procedures.
- Monitors the School of Nursing departmental email account for current and prospective students.
- Serves as a reference source for other University departments requiring general information on admission procedures.
- Research and makes recommendations regarding reevaluation of transfer nursing student records to more senior admissions office personnel.
- Works collaboratively with Program Directors and Associate Director of Nursing Admissions to ensure the website reflects the most accurate and current program highlights and admissions criteria.
- Works collaboratively with Director of Nursing Admissions on marketing materials highlighting the School of Nursing.
- Serves as a primary source of information on academic programs and courses in order to provide Director of Admissions for the School of Nursing with information used in evaluating applicant transcripts.
- Prepares multimedia communications related to department/university activities.
- Engages students and community partners via social media.
- Manages student worker schedules and assigns recruitment tasks to support open houses and campus events.
- Participates in School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services and campus wide events and initiatives as needed.
Registrar 2, MD-PhD Program
Yale University, New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT
02.2023 - 07.2024
- Oversee, coordinate, manage processes and procedures between the Yale School of Medicine and the Graduate School for ~158 full time dual-degree MD-PhD students. Responsible for maintaining all students’ academic and financial portfolio over the entire training arc (~8-10 years) including all department deadlines.
- Represent the MD-PhD Program as part of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) Executive Committee together with the MD-PhD Program Director; the Executive Committee is made up of the Directors of Graduate Study (DGSs) and Registrars of all the BBS PhD Program and meets monthly to make decisions on broad matters of policy and procedure.
- Interpret policies and determine appropriate application in complex and confidential situations, serving as an expert resource for ~125 affiliated faculty regarding student progress to degree, course, and policy requirements in varied circumstances.
- Coordinate and manage academic student processes including scheduling of MD-PhD Program courses, workshops, student registration, system registration, and records within FileMaker Pro, Qualtrics, Banner, and Course Leaf and other University databases.
- Coordinate and manage student financial processes including scheduling of MD-PhD Program payroll, tuition billing, stipend payments, student budgets and reimbursements and all financial records within Banner, Workday, Timesheet X.
- Analyze and track annual budgets, prepare spreadsheets, and maintain departmental records.
- Determine administrative, facility, and equipment needs for symposia, lectures, seminars, student committee meetings and conferences including mandatory annual programmatic retreats, the Perspectives of Women in Science lecture, the Folker’s Lecture, and the annual holiday party.
- Oversee and instruct support staff, train, instruct and provide guidance for regular, students, or temporary workers regarding processes.
- Coordinate and attend MD-PhD student recruitment conferences to recruit undergraduate students pursuing a MD-PhD Degree; coordinating requirement items and assessing flyers to represent the program.
- Oversee general office needs including assessing website changes, office supplies, and office email communications.
Admissions & Pipeline Coordinator, MD-PhD Program
Yale University, New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT
06.2022 - 02.2023
- Served as a principal of information for Yale School of Medicine admissions and recruiting for MD-PhD, MD, and BBS programs including updating faculty on policies, procedures, programs, and office activities regarding the admissions processes.
- Oversaw national recruiting efforts for MD, PhD, and BBS programs including attending national conferences and symposia, advising application process and national test, ordering merchandise, preparing flyers, and disseminating goods.
- Managed the entire annual MD-PhD Admissions process, working with over 150 faculty interviewers across several disciplines to establish formal and informal interview dates for ~136 applicants over 4 interview cycles.
- Supported the Director of Admissions for the Yale School of Medicine and MD-PhD Program Director to ensure interview efforts between the medical school and the MD-PhD program were fully coordinated and attended.
- Collaborated with first year MD-PhD students to help recruit applicants during the admissions cycle, attended Student Council Meetings, DEI Meetings, and Student Wellness events to connect with students across the program and inform them of admissions activities and onboard onto recruiting efforts.
- Created social media/Recruitment materials to recruit prospective MD-PhD students; including 14 individual flyers explaining each PhD track and each year medical school with a perspective of current student and working with DEI committee member with Social Media posts around Diversity Equity and Inclusion; including a yearly calendar of all holidays/important dates throughout the year to post on all platforms.
- Monitored expenditures and reconciled financial statements relevant to recruiting efforts, admissions efforts, and student reimbursements.
- Principally responsible for managing the Yale BioMed AMGEN summer research program for ~27 undergraduate scholars attending from across the United States and Puerto Rico for an 8-week program ensuring correct administration of program and compliance with university policies and training procedures.
Assistant Hall Director, North Campus Residence Complex
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT
01.2022 - 06.2022
- Developed and implemented training and staff selection for over 70 Resident Advisors while co-managing five-buildings with ~450 residents.
- Provided leadership, as assigned, for selecting, training, scheduling, supervising, and evaluating over 30 Residence Life student employees.
- Collaborate with multiple campus departments including facilities and custodial services staff to maintain a safe living environment.
- Complies to FERPA guidelines regarding student information and housing data.
- Respond to and report violations of residence hall and university code of conduct and adjudicate or resolve appropriately.
- Audit and verify student health, financial, and academic records to ensure compliance with university standards.
- Advise and assist in the management of hall budget.
- Provide a timely response to all requests from students, staff, supervisors, and other university personnel.
- Provide appropriate referrals, support, encouragement, and access to necessary university resources for students and staff.
- Serve as a resource and advocate for the needs of a diverse community.
Duty Supervisor
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT
08.2019 - 06.2022
- Assisted with staff supervision and crisis management within Residence Life.
- Responded to emergency situations as a secondary responder (drug and alcohol intoxication, physical altercations, mental health concerns, fire alarms, and inclement weather) in an on-call duty rotation.
Housing Operations Graduate Intern
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT
08.2019 - 01.2022
- Assisted the Housing Assignments Coordinator with housing assignments, room changes, processes, marketing, and billing.
- Managed various departmental inventories including consistent collaborating with university inventory control team to track process property pass.
- Upskilled and performed ongoing functionalities for various technologies/software (Banner SPROD, Excel, The Housing Director (THD), Target X).
- Advanced user of departmental security software and systems including the Milestone camera software, AST alarm and access systems, and the Key watcher software. Pulled data and video footage, as needed, to provide supporting documentation for campus incidents.
- Coordinated break period mail distribution to nine residence halls in cooperation with university mail services. Managed internal departmental package log to track all incoming and outgoing packages and mail.
- Generated and audited reports regarding compliance and housing occupancy and coordinated student ID access for ~2,600 residential students and 40 staff.
- Served as point of contact for multiple outside vendors: Comcast, AST, CDWG.
- Provided daily supervision to student operations staff, computer programmers, graphic designers and marketing specialists, including identification of surplus departmental capital assets and proper disposal of assets.
- Served as acting point of contact in absence of the Housing Assignments and/or Information Technology Coordinators, including managing departmental email, responding to all inquiries and concerns from parents, students, faculty and staff for onboarding and deactivation.
Education
Master of Business Administration - Management
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)
New Haven, CT05-2022
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Management
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)
New Haven, CT05-2019
Skills
- American Council on Education, Women’s Network Connecticut (ACE)): Board member of Directors for the ACE Women’s Network in CT: Budget committee for organization
- Search Committee: Committee member for Hall Director Search for the Office of Residence life
- Strategic Planning Committee-Graduate School: Strategic Enrollment Growth and Retention subcommittee in updating the graduate school mission and practices
- TBSN/ABSN Policy and Program Committee/Part Time evening and weekend Program Committee assists in implementation of program logistics and policies centering around admissions
- Member of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC): MD-PhD Program Section Administrators Group who meet regularly to discuss issues and administrative approaches to physician-scientists nationally
- Social Justice Team: fostered conversations and education about social justice issues and current events to professional staff in Residence Life
- Housing Operations Committee: works to improve the facility, community, and atmosphere of the residence halls
- Academic Success Group: assists in implementation of academic trends in housing to propel students to graduation
- Relevant Trainings: Title IX, Cultural Competency, Thrive/Matter/Succeed Framework, Deliberative Dialogue
- Technology and Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Office Suite, Slack, Google Forms, Adobe, Qualtrics, Workday, Banner, Canva, Canvas, Social Media Platforms
Timeline
Admissions Specialist, School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
07.2024 - Current
Registrar 2, MD-PhD Program
Yale University, New Haven, CT
02.2023 - 07.2024
Admissions & Pipeline Coordinator, MD-PhD Program
Yale University, New Haven, CT
06.2022 - 02.2023
Assistant Hall Director, North Campus Residence Complex
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
01.2022 - 06.2022
Duty Supervisor
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
08.2019 - 06.2022
Housing Operations Graduate Intern
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), New Haven, CT
08.2019 - 01.2022
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Management
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)
Master of Business Administration - Management
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)