Campus Engagement Specialists: Connecting Students, Faculty, and Future Careers

At Galen College of Nursing, student success is about more than academics. It’s about feeling connected, supported, and prepared for a future in healthcare. At Galen, providing that positive student experience is a prime responsibility of Campus Engagement Specialists (CES).

“I think we often times get labeled as the party people because we plan all of the events on campus.”

Mackenzie Sullivan has been serving as a Campus Engagement Specialist at Galen’s Asheville, North Carolina campus since August 2023. She explains that Campus Engagement Specialists offer far more support to Galen campuses than many people realize.

“While we are not faculty, we’re not instructors, I do think that we play a huge role in our students’ college experience.”

CES team members serve as the vital link between students, faculty, and the broader campus community. From orientation to graduation, CES professionals walk alongside students during their nursing journey, helping them build relationships, sharpen professional skills, and discover career pathways. In case you were wondering, yes, they do plan fun social events along the way as well.

“That’s what engagement is,” said Sullivan. “Sometimes you’re having fun for fun’s sake, but sometimes engagement is also a structured student advisory committee meeting or a community event.”

Sullivan says engagement can be seen in many ways from campus to campus.

“Sometimes it means we’re having fun with a cookout or a start of term ice cream bar and other times it means connecting you with your HCA Healthcare recruiter or helping you with your resume.”

CES professionals also prepare students for life beyond the classroom. Working closely with healthcare providers, such as HCA Healthcare, they coordinate career fairs, networking events, and employer meet-and-greets that introduce students to clinical leaders and potential career opportunities. The goal being to help students develop the confidence and readiness needed for a smooth transition into the nursing workforce.

“We have gotten a lot of feedback from students that they would like to learn more about career readiness and professionalism skills. That’s not a part of their core curriculum. So, to meet that need, we’ve started offering virtual resume and interview workshops for students.”

Sullivan notes that this is another essential responsibility of Campus Engagement Specialists—serving as the boots on the ground, listening to students and responding to their needs. That, she says, is the true heart of student engagement.

While the CES position is already a vital part of the Galen experience, Sullivan aims to expand its impact even further in her new role. She was recently elevated to Lead Campus Engagement Specialist, which means she will oversee the work of CES professionals at all of Galen’s 24 campuses across the country.

Though she will continue to call Asheville home, Sullivan explains that a new CES professional has been hired to support the Asheville campus. This will allow Sullivan to shift her focus to Galen as a whole.

“I think being in this Lead Position will free me up to focus more on college-wide programs and long-term planning. It will also allow me to better communicate with the various campuses to have a clear picture of what is going on.”

One of the professionals Sullivan will support in her new role is Ashley Douglas, Campus Engagement Specialist at Galen’s Nashville, Tennessee campus. She says she was ecstatic when she heard the news of Sullivan’s promotion.

“When I found out she was getting this role, I got so excited for her,” said Douglas. “She is just such a light, such a great person, so I am just so excited for her.”

Douglas says she has worked with Sullivan since she first started two years ago. She believes having Sullivan in the Lead CES position will help improve the student experience and hold CES professionals accountable for meeting Galen’s standards of excellence.

“Sometimes we get so busy with all the events and programs we are working on, it’s hard to keep an eye on the big picture while also meeting our deadlines. She will help keep us on top of things and make sure we don’t fall short of student expectations.”

Sullivan was promoted to her leadership role in late 2024 while continuing to serve as the full-time Campus Engagement Specialist for the Asheville campus. She was only recently able to bring on a new CES to take over Asheville’s day-to-day responsibilities.

This transition, she says, will allow her to focus more on the long-term vision for the CES position. One of her top priorities is ensuring consistent student support across all Galen campuses.

“I believe students should have an amazing experience no matter which Galen campus they attend. Key events like new student orientation, professional development programs, and graduations should reflect the same high standards across Galen.”

At the same time, Sullivan emphasizes the importance of giving CES professionals the freedom to be creative in planning fun events that keep students engaged.

“I do like that there is some autonomy in the CES role when it comes to student experience. You get to be creative and come up with some fun events, so I don’t want that to go anywhere. But I do think, having kind of a mix of like standardization and creativity is what I would like to see at all campuses.”

Sullivan says CES impact is felt on a deeper level, they foster a culture of care, professionalism, and community at Galen. Through their work, CES professionals ensure that students not only receive a strong nursing education but also feel supported as individuals, leaders, and future caregivers.

“I think that students should be able to leave Galen and not only have memories of sitting in class or being at clinicals. They should also have memories of engaging events, building relationships with their fellow students, and having an overall amazing educational experience.”

In every celebration, career fair, and coaching conversation, Campus Engagement Specialists bring Galen’s mission to life—preparing the next generation of nurses to step into their careers with confidence, compassion, and connection.

Sullivan says she is just proud to play a small role in that journey.

Maintaining a focus as a single-purpose nursing college allows Galen to direct all its resources to providing high-quality, innovative programs to those who choose nursing as a career. Galen offers several paths including our: PN/VN diploma program, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, and 3-year Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) program.

For those already in the nursing profession, Galen also offers an LPN/LVN to ADN Bridge program as well as an online master’s and doctorate degree programs.

Begin your nursing education journey today by visiting the links below.

What is the Galen Experience?

What does it take to become a nurse?