At the heart of admissions at Bryan College, you’ll meet Matthew Hodgin, the Admissions Team Lead. He joined Bryan College in April of 2023, and he loves getting to make a difference in the lives of students in Ontario.
Matthew first joined Bryan College’s sister school, Bryan University, 14 years ago in 2010. In his current role at Bryan College, he enrolls students and leads a team of admissions representatives. He loves what he does, and he said the unpredictability keeps you on your toes and challenges you. In addition to that, he loves getting to know Ontario's diverse student body every day.
Along with the students, his team keeps him motivated, and he finds great joy in their accomplishments. "I take a lot of pride in seeing my people win. Helping them overcome obstacles, learn, improve, or just being there for them when the going gets tough," he said. "When they win, I get really excited about that."
He added, “Seeing people win on the team means students are also having a good experience and it always goes back to the student experience. It's a win all around for everybody.”
Of all his own wins over the years, one that’s especially memorable was a student who he was in contact with off and on for several years. He knew she would be a great student the first time they spoke. She told him about her passion for fitness and aspiration to make a difference in women’s health. After seven years, she enrolled and graduated.
"That was very rewarding, to see that student start and graduate,” he said. "There's so many people over the years that you help, and it's just an awesome feeling.”
He’s found inspiration and mentorship from numerous people throughout the years, but of those, he said Chad Evans, Chairman of the Board, made the biggest impact.
"Chad imparted so much how we all have innate greatness in us and how pursuing higher education brings that out.”
In his free time, he’s an avid traveler, and he’s visited countries all over Asia and Europe. For several years, he taught and lived in China and South Korea. In total, he’s been to 25 countries and 25 states.
Of all the places he’s been to, his favorite is Lijiang, China. It’s considered the romance capital of China, and it’s where he met his wife 21 years ago. “I had been hiking for days and looked dirty and gross. She accepted me like that, and I knew right there she was someone special,” he said.
In the future, he hopes to retire and be able to spend half of the year living in China.
Matthew’s advice for anyone just starting out their career, whether in higher education or another field, is not to be afraid to aim high. “Don't hesitate to go for something you think you can't do. If you're starting your career, it may be safer to go with something easier, but I would say shoot for something higher than that and see what happens. Try to push yourself to do something you don't think you can do and then find out. You might surprise yourself."
His advice for anyone considering a career at Bryan College is: "Be ready for an adventure. Be ready for a challenge, but an enjoyable one. Be ready to learn new things you didn't think you could do. We have an awesome support system that brings out the best in their employees."
The Bryan College Employee Spotlight is an initiative that recognizes employees monthly. All employees of Bryan College are eligible. Learn more about working at Bryan College here.
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