Kerrie Liles: 18 Years of Transforming Lives at SJVC Visalia

This July, Kerrie Liles, Dean of Student Affairs at SJVC Visalia, celebrates 18 years of working at SJVC. Adriana Ruiz, Campus President at Visalia, nominated her for a spotlight story because of her dedication to the students she serves—she helps many overcome challenges in school, watching them go on to graduate and thrive. 

“Dean Liles has an amazing ability to connect with students, meet them where they’re at, and provide support in the form of coaching, advice, and resources. Dean Liles also makes herself available to support new Deans with her best practices. We’re so fortunate to have Dean Liles at the Visalia Campus.” 

Here, Dean Liles shares more about her career path, experiences, and about the many rewarding parts of her job.  

How long have you served as Dean of Student Affairs?  

I have served in the role as a Dean of Student Affairs for over 15 years. I began working for SJVC Visalia in July 2005. I initially worked in the Career Services Department and was the first Career Services Manager for the Visalia Campus. I was then promoted to the Dean of Students for the online campus, where I served as online Dean of Students for roughly 18 months before returning to the Visalia campus as the Dean of Students, where I’ve been since.  

Can you share with us a bit about your career path? What did you do before your current position? How did you know that this was what you wanted to do?

Prior to coming to work for SJVC I had a couple of other long-term jobs. I initially started out working for my hometown hospital as the Emergency Room Admitting Manager, Rural Health Clinic Manager, and Business Office Manager. I had a lot of responsibility in this role and gained a great deal of experience. I thrived in the fast-paced environment and enjoyed getting to know the patients and their families.  

My husband took a job for the local Sheriff’s department in 1997, and we relocated to Visalia. This made me reevaluate my career path, and I decided to go into education. I was doing some long-term subbing assignments, primarily at the High School level, and decided I loved working with young adults. I had a friend that was working for SJVC, and he called me and told me he thought I would be a great fit for the college, and they had a position available in the Career Services Department. He told me I would primarily be working with students in medical programs, and I felt like the experience I had gained working in a hospital setting prepared me well to build relationships with the medical community in Visalia. I was also excited about working with young adults. I applied for the position and thankfully I was selected.  

What is your favorite part of your job? What has been the most challenging? 

My favorite part of the job is seeing students achieve their goals. I have the opportunity to build relationships with a large number of students. I have seen students deal with so much adversity in their lives, and there is absolutely nothing more rewarding than watching one of these students celebrate their accomplishments at graduation. I reflect on the difficult conversations we have shared, the pep talks, the tears shed, and it really hits me when I see those students succeed despite all the obstacles that they had to overcome.  

I also love it when graduates see me out and about and come up to me to tell me how they are doing. It gives me such a sense of pride to know I am connected to them and their success story. The most challenging part for me is losing a student. Sometimes, despite our best efforts to retain a student, life can be too much for them and they are not able to persist. I worry about those students and sincerely hope they don’t give up on their dreams. I hope they come back to us and finish what they started. Many of them do, and those are the success stories you revel in. 

Can you share with us some details about your job? What are some of your responsibilities? What things come up for students and faculty throughout the year that they need support with?

I wear many different hats as the Dean of Student Affairs. One of my major focusses is retention. Our programs are accelerated, so it is important for students to be in attendance every day. I monitor attendance and student grades and reach out to students that are struggling to see if we can connect them with resources that may improve their attendance.  

I also spend a great deal of time meeting with students to discuss personal issues. We talk through their problems, and I will offer my advice. I am also able to connect students with our new Student Resource Program that rolled out in May of this year. There is a wide array of resources available, including complimentary counseling services. In addition to retention efforts and counseling, I am also responsible for new student orientation, graduation, and much more.  

No two days are alike in the life of a Dean of Student Affairs. I arrive at campus each day ready to work and the day sort of plans itself. You have to be flexible in this role, and ready for whatever comes your way. It is important to be able to prioritize and tackle time-sensitive or urgent matters first.  

Most of the issues that students are confronted with are personal issues; they may need help getting connected to resources in the community. There are also students that may need academic support if they are struggling in a course. I partner with the academic leaders on my campus to coordinate tutoring. Faculty typically reach out to me to alert me about a student that is struggling in their course. Our faculty do a wonderful job supporting students in their courses, but there are times they need me to intervene if they feel a student needs a higher level of support. Communication is the key, and I enjoy open communication with the faculty on our campus. I know they are dedicated to the success of every student. This partnership sets students up for success. There are several people involved in the student journey at multiple levels.  

Do you have any words of advice for those just beginning their time at SJVC?

The advice I share applies to both employees and students. I share this at every new student orientation. It is a quote from one of my favorite paintings in my office. 

”Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo  

I think this quote speaks for itself. Life can be hard, and we all have difficult days, but it is important to bring a positive attitude every day. The people you surround yourself with, whether it is a classmate or a coworker, deserve the best version of you. Your education will certainly open doors for you, but your attitude is what propels you further in your career.