In December, Jaslynn Hutley-Pierre, MBA, associate director, admissions operations, University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), was recognized by UMSON with its Staff Excellence Award. 

Now Hutley-Pierre can add another honor to her name: the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) April Employee of the Month.

UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, surprised Hutley-Pierre with the news during a videoconference April 22 and told her the award recognizes “your accomplishments and traits and the way you take care of the School of Nursing.”

“This is to represent to you just how much people appreciate everything that you do,” he said in thanking her for her efforts. 

Hutley-Pierre oversees the systems and operations for the UMSON admissions office, which includes processing documents and working with two databases — a customer relations management system and document imaging system. 

“She has made significant contributions to our office by ensuring that we stay up to date with admissions and technology trends,” said Sheena Jackson, MS, director, admissions and student scholarships, and Hutley-Pierre’s supervisor. “One of her notable achievements is her extensive work on implementing multiple workflows, processes, and applications that are now essential tools in our daily operations in the admissions and scholarships department. Her ability to identify gaps in our processes and develop efficient solutions has greatly improved the overall efficiency and effectiveness of our office.”

Hutley-Pierre began working at UMSON in fall 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when the challenge was to keep in touch with prospective students. One of the first changes she implemented was to work with a vendor to install a chat feature on the admissions webpages so that students can ask questions and receive quick responses from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

More recently, Hutley-Pierre helped to identify another way to improve a process and make it more efficient by streamlining the confirmation forms for admitted students. Previously, students would need to fill out forms and pay the deposit in multiple systems, and Hutley-Pierre has moved the forms so that students now can use just one system, helping to alleviate confusion. 

“It improves not only the experience for the applicant, but also for the staff so that we’re not having to go into different locations to process,” Hutley-Pierre said. 

Making the admissions process easier is one of her favorite parts of her job.

“I love being that problem fixer, seeing gaps in a process or procedure and finding out, what can we do to make this better? What can we do to either automate or combine things so that someone isn’t spending too much time doing something or having difficulties?” she said. “What I enjoy the most is having that freedom for the most part, seeing things in our processes, finding those gaps, and then finding a solution.”

These changes have helped to attract prospective students to UMSON.

“It is commendable that Jaslynn goes above and beyond her expected duties to prioritize the needs of prospective students and place them at the center of all activities,” Jackson said. “By recognizing areas for improvement, Jaslynn can take appropriate steps to enhance the prospective students’ journey, increasing the likelihood of them choosing the school.”

Jennifer Schum, PhD, associate dean, student and academic services, said much of the admissions work happens behind the scenes.

“There is a lot of data, a lot of systems, a lot of processes, and these all have to work seamlessly, or we don’t admit students. I really appreciate all that you do to make this work,” she told Hutley-Pierre during the videoconference.  

Hutley-Pierre also oversees two high-profile in-house events: the virtual Graduate Open House and the in-person Entry into Practice Open House.

She collaborates with her team as well as faculty members and other offices on the events, sets up registration for prospective students, works on catering and scheduling, and coordinates marketing with UMSON’s communications team. She also ensures that current students and alumni will be in attendance. 

“Her attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to coordinate different teams ensures the success of these events,” Jackson said. 

Hutley-Pierre, who will receive a certificate, a letter of commendation, and an extra $250 in her next paycheck, thanked Jackson and her colleagues for their support.

“This is one of the first places that I have worked where I feel recognized and acknowledged for my accomplishments and for what I do on a daily basis,” said Hutley-Pierre, who supervises two enrollment coordinators. “We make sure to always cheer each other on. I feel like we’re in a very supportive environment.”

Hutley-Pierre said she was shocked and overwhelmed to receive the award.

“It makes me want to just push more to continue doing what I’m doing. It confirms for me why I’m in this field,” she said. 

—Jen Badie