BY EMILY HOLLINGSHEAD, GUEST WRITER TO THE TIMES
After serving in an interim position, Lorie Coachman will continue her work officially as the associate vice president (AVP) of Admissions and Enrollment Services for Seminole State College of Florida.
Coachman joined the College in 2020 as the director of Assessment and Testing and has served as the associate vice president of Admissions and Enrollment Services since 2022. In these positions, she has worked to expand the use of enrollment and admissions data to promote data-driven decision-making and has worked to streamline processes in recruitment efforts. As the AVP, she will provide the vision and strategic direction for undergraduate, technical, and international admissions, as well as college outreach, recruitment, and transition initiatives.
Outside her regular duties, she has served as the chair of the Equity and Inclusion Committee and a member of the Strategic Enrollment Management Committee, Florida Council of Student Affairs, NASPA-FL, ACE Women’s Network Florida and Florida College Pathways Advising Committee. With nearly fifteen years of experience in higher education serving in the areas of college access, recruitment, enrollment and retention, Coachman said “This role will allow me to contribute to a greater mission that minimizes or removes barriers while identifying opportunities that improve our capacity and commitment to serve our Seminole county residents and beyond.”
Over the past three years, she has focused on the College’s partnership with Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) to increase the college-going rate for recent high school graduates, and adult learners, and initially expand access to under-resourced communities throughout Central Florida. Ultimately her committee and partnership work is focused on minimizing or removing barriers to serve everyone that aims to continue their education at Seminole State College.
In addition to her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Florida International University, Coachman is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Practice and Innovation with a concentration on education systems improvement at the University of South Carolina.
“As a first-generation college graduate, I have benefited from the transformative power of equitable educational institutions and systems,” Coachman said. “As a professional, these experiences have led me to discover my life’s work; to develop solutions that simultaneously increase opportunities for educational access and sustainable enrollment for all students.”
