Carol Harrison

Dean of Enrollment Services/Registrar, College of Southern Maryland

During my years in higher education, I have been fortunate to attend seventeen AACRAO Annual Meetings. I have borrowed many great ideas from the sessions I attended that advanced the College of Southern Maryland's Registrar's Office over the 24 years I worked at that institution.  

I am very grateful for all the professional development AACRAO has provided me over the years. Ten years ago, I decided to give back to AACRAO for all it has given me.  As a lifelong girl scout, I believe in volunteering and assisting your community to make it a better place!  I began volunteering in AACRAO with my involvement as a member of the Registration and Academic support Committee and began presenting at the annual meeting.  I continued my involvement with RAS committee as vice-chair and Chair.  Then after a brief break from AACRAO (to return to school to enter the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program) I was able to Join the program committee as Group 3 PAC Coordinator in 2019 to 2022.  I also served on the Nominations and Elections committee in 2018.

I was fortunate to be involved in the formation of CAPACRAO in 2013.  I went on to become president of CAPACRAO in 2015.  Due to this involvement the founding president of CAPACRAO, Steve Smith, suggested I become involved in the AACRAO work group to produce a revised State and Regional Guide.  I wrote the chapters on Legal and Financial for this guide.

My involvement in AACRAO has allowed me to create a fantastic network of colleagues that could assist me with questions or issues in the Registrar’s Office.  Three members I am grateful for their mentorship are Kelley Brundage, Sarah Harris, and Steve Smith.

It was a difficult decision to leave higher education six months ago after working in the higher education profession for thirty-three years, but as I saw only a few more years left to work till retirement I wanted to take an opportunity to work for Ellucian as a consultant, a position I had always wanted to pursue.  The hardest part of moving to Ellucian was giving up my volunteer work for AACRAO.

Thank you AACRAO for so many great opportunities and memories!