April Holman honored with President's Outstanding Leadership and Service Award

 April Holman started working at Cuyamaca College a mere three weeks before the COVID shutdown last March, but she has proven herself to be so integral to the campus that she has been honored with the President’s Outstanding Leadership and Service Award for Classified Professionals.

The Grossmont College alum and administrative assistant to Vice President of Student Services Jessica Robinson was lauded at convocation. Previously an administrative assistant to Grossmont College’s dean of Admissions & Records and Financial Aid for 3 ½ years, Holman is credited for helping the streamline the process to get $1.4 million in emergency aid to Cuyamaca students hard hit financially by the pandemic.

Robinson nominated Holman for the award, pointing to her leadership skills and tech know-how updating websites and sending communications to students that helped Student Services make the transition quickly to remote operations.

“I can say without any reservations, had April not been in her position at the time of remote work, the office transition from on-campus to remote would have been slow, riddled with obstacles, and a detriment to student and employee success,” Robinson said.

With more than 20 years of experience in administrative assistance, Holman credits the skills she learned at Grossmont College and her Executive Assistant, Paralegal and Management certificates for her professional success.

“I started my formal higher education many times but life often got in the way,” Holman said. “I finally completed my Associate Degree in Management in 2019 after 20 years and was honored to have my husband and four children by my side at graduation.”

Holman often recounts her own educational experience when helping students navigate the higher education system.

“There are many rewards working in my position but what I find most rewarding is knowing what I do helps students and this is the reason I do what I do,” she said. “I have been a student, struggling through the confusing higher educational system and I always treat students the way I want to be treated.”

The caring atmosphere at Cuyamaca College and its steadfast focus on helping student succeed are what Holman finds most connective about the campus.

“Every decision is student-centered and finding the most innovative ways to serve them,” she said. “Our diverse leadership makes our campus essential to breaking barriers in higher education and I am so happy to be here.”