The Office of Admissions at Sterling College welcomed two new counselors to their team for the 2015-16 recruiting season – Roy Abousamra ’15 and Leah Alford. Abousamra will handle prospective athlete visits and students interested in athletic training, communication, exercise science and sports management. Alford will assist students interested in art, English, music and theatre.

“We are excited to have Roy join the admissions team. He certainly knows Warrior athletics having played football for Sterling. He will relate well to our student athletes and their parents. Roy has been a student ambassador for us and has experience in hosting students and parents on campus. Plus, Roy comes from California which is second only to Kansas in the number of students represented at Sterling,” said Dennis Dutton, director of admissions.

Abousamra graduated with a B.A. in Communication and Media Arts: Communication Arts. He is from Mountain View, California, and transferred to Sterling from De Anza College in San Jose.

Alford, the arts admissions counselor, graduated in 2014 from California Baptist University.

“Leah will provide a unique perspective for the admissions team, having worked in California Baptist’s admissions office as a student ambassador. She has a strong background in music and will be a great representative of all the arts at Sterling. One of her music professors at California Baptist was Marisa Giorgetti-Callan, a 2005 graduate of Sterling College who will be serving as an assistant professor of music this year,” said Dutton.

Kacie Hastings ’12 is changing roles to work as admissions and art events coordinator. In addition to planning Preview Weekends, she will coordinate all arts events, from workshops on campus to music tours and arts conferences. With Hastings planning arts-related events, Alford will be able to focus more on recruitment.

Other admissions staff are also changing roles. Kaylee Beutler ’14 has moved from campus events coordinator to an admissions counselor position, working with students in biology, business, chemistry, health science and math. Carrie McGlynn will now assist students interested in criminal justice, education, history, psychology, and theology and ministry.

Lastly, Sterling College is breaking new ground by placing Matt James ’13 as a full-time admissions counselor in California. James has moved to his home-state of California where he will continue to work for the College as he recruits students and strengthens existing connections between Sterling and California high schools.  

“Matt is uniquely qualified for the new California position having had two years on campus as admissions counselor and working with a large number of California students and families,” said Dutton.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.