Once again, our monthly blog will feature a staff interview. Read below and find out more about Joy Cooper, First Year College Advisor at Nevada State University.
What has been the highlight of your time with GEAR UP so far?
The biggest highlight has been seeing the seniors I worked with in spring come to Nevada State and immerse themselves in the campus community and culture. I have enjoyed being apart of their journeys and supporting them in this transition from high schoolers to college students. Two of my students have gotten involved with our Nevada State Student Alliance and have become senators for the freshmen class and a few others are already planning to apply for undergraduate research projects. I love seeing everything they’re up to on campus.
What’s a piece of advice or a life lesson you received that you still think about today?
A common phrase used during my time in the military was “adapt and overcome”. It’s not really advice, but it helps ground me when times are difficult, or things aren’t going to plan. I’ve learned how to roll with the punches and pivot on the fly. It’s helped build my resiliency across all aspects of my life.
If budget and time were no object, what service for GU students or families would you like to provide?
I’d like to focus on more events for the GEAR UP first-year students at Nevada State. The first-year students can be tricky to keep engaged and stay connected with, so I think hosting more events for them early in the school year to help build community with the other students might help keep engagement up and offer them a support system coming into their freshmen year.
What is your all-time favorite movie or book? What did you love about it?
I have always been a fan of mystery books, so I’m fond of the Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie. I like puzzles and I love to attempt to solve crimes before the shocking reveal. I’m not a big movie person, but I am a longtime fan of Top Gun and now Top Gun Maverick. What’s not to like about cute pilots?
What’s a professional accomplishment you are most proud of and why?
Prior to working for GEAR UP and Nevada State, I designed a visual novel video game to help students learn about socio-emotional health, how to process their emotions, and taught them healthy coping mechanisms. It won a research award, was published, and opened some interesting doors for me. I started collaborating with a local private school to tweak and beta test my game and I was asked to be a guest speaker for the American Library Association’s Games and Gaming RoundTable. It was a labor of love to create this project and is deeply rooted in both my personal life and education. I never imagined it would grow the legs it did and receive so much recognition.
Give us a fun fact about Joy!
A fun fact about me is I play bass guitar, and I used to be in a rock band!
