Connie Garrick recently joined the Lone Star College-Fairbanks Center staff as Assistant Dean of Student Services after 15 years with the Lone Star College System.
“I like the close knit team of faculty and staff at LSC-Fairbanks Center,” said Garrick, who started her new position in November. “I am still getting to know everyone and their strengths.”
One of Garrick’s strengths is customer service. All of her jobs – even before working in education, such as in the family flooring business in high school, at companies like Exxon and Time Warner and even an aerosol manufacturing company - involved dealing with people.
Her first position in the Lone Star College System was at LSC-Tomball in 1992 when she was assistant to vice president in student development. It was not only an opportunity to work close to home, but a chance to finish her master’s degree. Over the years, Garrick worked in admissions, advising, as assistant to vice president of corporate training and then as coordinator and most recently as manager of student services at LSC-Willow Chase Center.
Garrick, who has also taught in the classroom, said it’s rewarding to meet with students. That’s important to her, because she knows that it is starting them down a path toward their own careers or sometimes even a new career. She admits that the assistant dean position at LSC-Fairbanks comes with new challenges, such as handling all the details related to serving international students.
“The challenge comes with learning new policies and procedures which are very detailed, and it is extremely important that I get those details right!,” said Garrick. “However, on the other side of that, it has been great getting to meet those students and to learn so much from them.”
Deana Sheppard, Dean and Executive Director of LSC-Fairbanks Center, said “We are very excited to have Connie as a part of the LSC-Fairbanks Center family. With extensive experience in the area of student services and having led the student services team at LSC-Willow Chase Center, she brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise.”