An audience member called her “the Energizer Bunny for student services.”

The animation and enthusiasm of Carolyn Brightharp seemed appealing to the approximately 40 participants in an open forum to meet the third and final candidate to visit campus in the selection of the associate dean of students and director of Minority Student Affairs. Brightharp is currently the dean of students at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Mich.

Brightharp said although her current institution is much smaller than Iowa State, she would use the same personal approach to the job if she is chosen to fill the position that has been vacant since December 2000.

“Every student is at risk for not matriculating,” she said.” It is the responsibility of everyone on a campus — from administration and faculty to custodial staff — to keep students enrolled at any institution.”

She said it is an extremely high priority for her to meet with every student planning to leave the institution without a degree. She admitted that some do “slip through the cracks,” but that she often visits with students in their residence hall rooms or other places on campus and tries to help them either get involved or find solutions to problems they are having.

“[Students] know me outside my office,” Brightharp said. “Students are comfortable with me and they know I’m an advocate for them.”

Brightharp had a philosophy of her job in student affairs that seemed to resonate with the faculty and staff in attendance: If it weren’t for students, an institution of higher learning would not exist.

“Our purpose is to assist our students to be more purposeful … we can’t do that behind our desks,” she said. “My place is where the students are.”

Maura Flaschner, senior admissions counselor, said she would love to see Brightharp on campus. Flaschner was one of Brightharp’s students at the University of South Florida.

Flaschner said it is Brightharp’s personality and energy that make her stand out from the other candidates.

Brightharp said her ultimate goal is to be a college president and she sees the position at Iowa State as one that “offers the opportunity to build relationships and to work with faculty … to build credibility of student services.”

Not “compartmentalizing” students but reaching out to all students was important to Brightharp, she said.

The associate dean of students and director of Minority Student Affairs were separate positions until budget constraints led to their combination in January 2002. Other candidates for the position were Leonard Perry and Belinda Dalton.

Dean of Students Pete Englin said the search committee will meet later this week to compile the information and make a recommendation to Englin.