The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA —
Previously employed as a colonel at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., Sue Mitchell wore her military uniform for the final time last year before beginning work at Valdosta State University as the new vice president for finance and administration.
While not an enlisted member of the military, Mitchell held her rank as colonel of the South Carolina Militia (SCM) at the Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.
As the vice president for finance and business affairs, she spent weekdays in military uniform, which always had to be neat and clean to adhere to uniform regulations.
Mitchell also had to keep her hair short, could only wear tiny gold stud earrings and had to salute when necessary.
Beginning her position at VSU in November of 2010, Mitchell enjoyed not having to step foot into the military uniform she had grown accustomed to wearing in South Carolina.
“I’m excited to be back in civilian attire,” she said.
While working at The Citadel, she was approached by a friend of hers with information about a job opening at VSU. She said she had not been searching for other career opportunities.
“The more I looked into it, the more I liked it,” she said.
Following Internet research, Mitchell decided to apply at VSU because she felt it “was doing a lot of things right” and has seen “tremendous growth over the last two years.”
With enrollment at about 13,000 students, she said, that’s the highest it’s been in VSU history.
“Fifty percent come from over three hours away,” she said. “They actually choose to come here (and are) making a commitment because they want to be here.”
Mitchell also discovered that VSU has a great leadership atmosphere.
“We have an outstanding senior leadership team, and it’s just a privilege to be a part of that team,” she said.
Another reason she was attracted to VSU was based on how its staff values reaching out to students and are “very involved with the strategic planning process.”
Whether VSU is looking to fund academic, athletic or overall campus efficiency projects, she said, they “all get laid out on the table” and it gets determined which is most strategic at the time.
Competing for the position against more than 70 applicants, Mitchell was offered the role as vice president for finance and
administration.
“It was just a privilege to be able to become a part of Valdosta State,” she said. “I love it here, absolutely. I feel that this is a family. Everyone has been welcoming me, and I find that Valdosta itself is a very friendly community.”
As vice president for finance and administration, some of Mitchell’s job responsibilities include working with auxiliary services, business services, financial services, human resources, environmental and occupational safety, university police, physical plant, facilities planning, construction, purchasing and financial services.
Mitchell is working hard to help students by working with other VSU faculty to provide them with more opportunities.
“I very much want to stay in touch with students’ needs,” she said.
In the near future, she will address dining services and plans to reach out to students to gather their input on what dining facilities should be available on campus.
“I’m very much in support of asking students the things that they want to see on campus,” Mitchell said.
VSU is also looking to expand OneCard services, which allow students to make transactions on campus, by offering off-campus sites. Mitchell said that students will play a role in this process by providing feedback, such as suggestions for where they may want to use the cards off-campus.
“We just want to embrace technology,” she said.
Ultimately, Mitchell and VSU want to prepare students for their future and have plans for the campus.
One step the school is trying to take is reaching out to community colleges throughout Georgia to provide a better transition for students wanting to attend VSU.
“We’re reaching out to that group to help their transition be a smooth one,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell is also helping VSU keep up with technology, which she said is “very important to students as well.”
By offering e-books at the bookstore, online ordering for textbooks, a tech shop and keeping in contact with students via Facebook and Twitter, she said, “We want them to know that we understand the way they want to communicate.”
New construction at VSU is also an ongoing event as the school adapts to the “tremendous growth because of students’ needs,” Mitchell said.
In the near future, VSU will construct a 700-room residence hall at the University Center and is also looking at expanding the Bailey Science Center, including adding new labs.
VSU has already added a new health center and parking decks and is looking to expand offices and class courses.
“In this economy, it’s exciting to know that kids are coming here and we want their needs (met),” Mitchell said. “We’re just exploring all types of directions to meet students’ needs.”
Previously, Mitchell has been involved with both public and private schools, which has “given me a good spectrum of higher education,” she said. “I love higher education. I feel like I’m planted here.”
With 15 years of strategic, operational, financial and management experience, her education experience stems from working at institutions, such as Charleston Southern University as the vice president for business affairs.
When not working, Mitchell can be found enjoying food, dancing, or attending sporting, arts and theater events.
“I’m ready to get involved in the community, and I’m hoping to get involved in some of the civic organizations,” she said.
Two of her passions include interior decorating and traveling.
“My mom was great at that (interior decorating), so I kind of just dabble in it,” she said. “(I’m) able to have good spatial relationship with furniture and such.”
Every few years, she saves up money to experience a new vacation spot. Some of the places she’s ventured to include New Zealand, South America, Thailand, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Egypt.
Mitchell’s most recent trip was to Australia last year, which she was able to share with her father before he passed away.
All throughout her office, visitors can find artifacts from all of the places she has seen, revealing how cultured she has become over time.
Born in Indiana, Mitchell has also lived in Orlando and Tampa, Fla., and Charleston, S.C. While working at The Citadel in South Carolina, she hired an architect and construction firm to build her home, but was an active participant in the process.
“I was very interactive with making tweaks to plans to make sure it was what I wanted to have built,” she said. “It was a lot of fun, actually.”
These skills also help with her current position at VSU, providing her the knowledge of looking over design plans and overseeing construction sites.
“I’m very comfortable in drawing and construction,” she said. “I’ve got a great team of architects and engineers (at VSU) that do a fabulous job.”
Being in her new home of Valdosta, Mitchell has enjoyed meeting people and experiencing the business chains and boutiques that are available.
“It’s a community that’s warm and embracing,” she said. “It’s a nice mix. Everything is so convenient.”
