Podcast

Why the Excel Award Is a Win for Your Team– with Michelle Smith

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“The [COCM Excel] Award is given to one person, but it’s really comprised of everybody on the team. It just happens to be that one person who received it because everybody pushes you to be better and do better. You always see the head coach gets all the kudos, but it’s really the folks that are behind the scenes working day in and day out—they’re truly deserving of it as well.”

—Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith currently serves as Regional Vice President at Capstone On-Campus Management. Prior to working at the COCM home office, Michelle was Director of Campus Housing at Florida Atlantic University, where she earned the 2013 COCM Excel Award. Michelle was also part of the Capstone founding team, and she has been with the company for the last 17 years.

On this episode of Student Housing Matters, Michelle joins guest host Alton Irwin for the next installment of our Excel Award Interview Series to explain why she considered the award a win for her entire team at Florida Atlantic. Michelle reflects on her time at FAU and reacts to what her colleagues said about the impact she had there. Listen in for insight on COCM’s ability to promote from within and why it’s so rewarding for Michelle to see that level of growth at every level of the company.

Topics Covered 

  • What’s unique about Michelle’s role as Regional Vice President of COCM
  • How meeting Sandy Hill at a retreat early in her student housing career led Michelle to work for COCM
  • Why it was special for Michelle to receive the Excel Award from Sandy Hill
  • How Michelle saw the Excel Award as a win for her whole team at Florida Atlantic University
  • What Michelle’s colleagues had to say about the impact she had at FAU
  • How Michelle thinks about her time at FAU and as the campus partner, Residence Life team and COCM staff worked toward a common goal
  • The sense of satisfaction Michelle feels in nominating COCM staff for the Excel Award
  • Why being able to promote from within is so important to Michelle

Connect with Michelle Smith

Michelle at COCM

Michelle on LinkedIn

Connect with Alton