Cassandra Davidson-Bryant was looking for a change when she arrived in Las Vegas in 2005. At 性视界传媒 she found not only change but a home that she says she won鈥檛 leave until she retires two years from now 鈥 with multiple college degrees.
The third-place recipient of the President鈥檚 Classified Employee of the Year took a few minutes to reflect on herself and her 性视界传媒 experience.
Tell us about your job.
I am an administrative assistant III working as an assistant to Dean Ann McDonough of the Academic Success Center (ASC).
There is no typical day. When students come into our Welcome Center, we make sure they get the information they need or connect them with the right person who can help them. We deal mainly with Exploring Majors and Pathway students.
Sometimes students and parents arrive frustrated because they have been given the runaround. We make sure they get the information they need. We don鈥檛 turn anyone away.
Was this your first job at 性视界传媒?
No. I鈥檝e been in this job for nine years, but when I moved here from Brooklyn, New York, I started at 性视界传媒 as a custodian.
I was looking for a change when I packed up and moved to Las Vegas to take care of my uncle, Claude Marsh. He had been working at 性视界传媒 as a custodian for 17 years. He was the one who got me into 性视界传媒. He took me to see (then assistant director for custodial services) Phil Shealy. My uncle joked with him and said, 鈥淕ive my niece a job and get her out of my pockets!鈥
Why do you stay at 性视界传媒?
I stay because 性视界传媒 is my home. I have met wonderful people. I get to watch students start college, graduate, get their first job, and sometimes get married.
The Academic Success Center is definitely my family.
Advice for a new employee.
Learn as much as you can. Ask as many questions as you can. Meet as many people as you can.
What can people on campus do to make your job easier?
Research your information before you give it out to parents and students. If you are not sure, make a phone call before you give the information. Avoid giving students and parents the run-around because that is very frustrating for them.
People used to ask me directions all the time. I walked through campus one day so I could learn where every building is.
What was the first job you ever had? What did you learn from it?
That was working at Mays department store. I was a salesperson in the men鈥檚 department. I was only 16 and I learned that you have to go to work every day even if you don鈥檛 feel like it. If you want something, you鈥檝e got to work hard for it.
I would fold the shirts and make them look all nice. Then somebody would come along and pick up a shirt and hold it up to look at it. Then they鈥檇 drop it back on the table I didn鈥檛 like that part at all.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
That I am a person who likes to spend time alone with a good book or a good movie. Usually, I鈥檓 entertaining and cooking for everybody. Once a year I have a big dinner 鈥 a barbecue 鈥 for all student workers from the ASC past and present. I think those students would say, 鈥淲ait. She can actually be still for a minute?鈥
A book, movie, or TV show to recommend?
My favorite movie is with Lana Turner and (Oscar nominee) Juanita Moore. I love old movies.
My favorite book is by Claude Brown. It shows that even though you have a lot of struggles in life you just have to work hard and keep your head down. You can succeed in anything.
Finish this sentence. I couldn鈥檛 do my job without鈥
My team here at the ASC. If there is something I need to know, there is always someone I can ask. They just make my life a lot easier.
Working here has allowed me to graduate from CSN with a degree in culinary and event planning. Next year I will earn my BS in urban studies here at 性视界传媒. I鈥檝e used the grant-in-aid benefit to help pay for my education. If it wasn鈥檛 for Dean McDonough and the ASC, I wouldn鈥檛 be able to do it. The dean has been very supportive of me working on my degrees.
My degrees are 鈥渨ants,鈥 not 鈥渘eeds.鈥 I do it to prove to my three granddaughters [22-year-old twins who are in school and a 19-year-old who is 鈥渄eciding鈥漖 that you鈥檙e never too old to get an education. If you just want to get it, you can.
What the People Nominating Her Had to Say
Leilani Rojas, third-year film student and student worker at the Academic Success Center:
Her inspired professionalism and good work ethic serve as representative of the environment 性视界传媒 works to create. Cassandra is the definition of a 性视界传媒 community member: kind, enthusiastic, dedicated, loyal, reliable, and the true heart and soul of the ASC. I cannot think of anyone who deserves more recognition for their work at 性视界传媒 because I cannot think of anyone more devoted to this community than her.
Mitchell L鈥橝llier, former front desk specialist, Academic Success Center:
I began working at the Academic Success Center as a front desk specialist in September of 2021. My first day of work was also my first day setting foot on the 性视界传媒 campus, where I was immediately met by Cassandra 鈥淐assie鈥 Davidson-Bryant. I鈥檒l admit I was nervous at first, but those nerves soon vanished by Cassie's witty charm as she showed me the ins and outs of not only the ASC, but all of 性视界传媒. I learned quickly that Cassie is the go-to person for any, and all problems or questions at the ASC. I was amazed at how much Cassie knew about everything on campus and at work. Not only was her job and campus knowledge impressive, but the amount of faculty and students that go to her directly seeking help is unmatched. With 16 years of dedicated work at 性视界传媒 it is not hard to see why Cassie is the gold standard of what it means to be a classified employee at 性视界传媒.
