At CampusGroups (CG) our team is our biggest strength. We believe in the importance of bringing people together to activate our collective potential. Our outlook is global, with teams in the US, Canada, France, the Middle East, and India.

We trust in the strength that a diverse team brings. This vision is reflected in how we:

Develop our product.
Work with clients.
Build our team.

Our belief is that by embracing diversity, we can foster a better world for our team, partner campuses and students. In this endeavor, we are consistently growing as a company. In 2021 we welcomed 17 unique professionals to the CG team.

This post introduces Maria Clark and Anthony Pires Jr. Below, Maria and Anthony tell us about their professional background, what brought them to CG, and what makes them tick.

For those of you that have read previous posts in our Team Growth series, this post, and the ones going forward, have an additional question on creating an inclusive work and learning environment.

Maria Clark

Maria joined CG as a Campus Success Associate. Living in Columbus, Ohio, she holds a Master of Education from Ohio University.

Maria is passionate about student affairs and success. With over 8 years of experience in higher education she has held several roles in this space. This includes Student Activities (The Ohio State University College of Medicine), Student Involvement and Inclusion, and Student Involvement and Multicultural Affairs (Columbus College of Arts and Design). She also worked in Multicultural Student Access and Retention at Ohio University.

Like many team members, Maria is a working mom. She loves music, especially Maggie Rogers, and is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, on campus and in all aspects of life!

Anthony Pires Jr.

Anthony joined CG as an Implementation and Product Support Specialist. Based out of Dorchester Massachusetts, he holds a Master’s of Higher Education in Student Affairs from Salem State University.

Anthony has over eight years of experience in higher education. Prior to joining CG, he was at Babson College, where he held roles in Student Engagement as well as Student Activities and Leadership. While at Wellesley College Anthony worked in Summer Programming and External Events as well as with the Office of Intercultural Education and Harambee House.

Anthony is one of CG’s several performing artists. If you attended CG’s annual user conference Rendez-Vous, you would remember his Broadway-themed performance in the opening show. What you may not know, however, is that Anthony is a professional stage actor. Most recently on stage in Boston, he played the role of Ton Ton Julian in the musical “Once on this Island”.

Tell us about your professional background. What does your unique experience bring to the team and company?
Maria:
I graduated from Kent State University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Communication. From there, I went straight to graduate school at Ohio University where I graduated in 2015 with a Master of Education in College Student Personnel. During that time, I held a Graduate Assistant position in the Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention.
I got my first job out of Grad School at the Columbus College of Art & Design. There I worked to engage art students outside of their classrooms and studios. I also built online systems that helped remove paper systems for various processes (applications, sign ups, and reporting).
After 5 years, I transitioned to The Ohio State University School of Medicine. There, I worked with medical students to plan large scale events. Both positions allowed me to learn a lot about student needs and how campuses need to adapt to meet students where they are.
Anthony:
I have over 8 years in higher education. My experience in the field is diverse and varied. It includes conference and special events planning, advising, student engagement and student development and programming. In addition to my Masters in Higher Education, I also have a Bachelors in Speech and Performance Communications (Framingham State University).
Tell us a fun and surprising fact about yourself!
Maria:
I have a very big family. In my direct family I am one of 5 girls; meaning I have 4 sisters. I also have a large extended family; my mom has 36 first cousins. Therefore, when I got married, I had a “small” wedding with 500 people.
Anthony:
I am a professional stage actor when I don’t have my CampusGroups hat on.
What made you decide to join CampusGroups (CG)?
Maria:
I wanted to be a part of the amazing work and forward-thinking culture at CG. I loved the product and was excited to learn more about the work culture.
Anthony:
I loved the journey of the company. I also loved that the products are sustainable and practical in everyday use for the student engagement experience.
What is it in this new adventure that drives/excites you?
Maria:
I love how things are always changing and that we are constantly looking to the future for what students and admins need. I am motivated by leadership and working hard for people that really care about me as a human.
Anthony:
I enjoy that it’s a fully remote job. The flexibility CG offers is amazing. I also love that I can connect with and learn from coworkers all around the world. The energy dynamic is infectious, and it feels great to always wake up with a smile.
What is the app or software you can’t live without?
Maria:
I love podcasts and music - so living without Spotify would be very hard!
Anthony:
I can’t live without Instagram and HULU. I love viewing other individual’s social media presence as well as taking and sharing photos. I also love watching movies/tv, so Hulu usually keeps me up to date.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Maria:
My husband, Aaron and I have a 4-month-old, George. Other than hanging with the two of them, we love to watch movies and play board games together.
Anthony:
I love to perform in musicals and plays. I also love to go on walks and spend time with my nephew.
What steps have you taken at your current (or last) employer to create an inclusive work or learning environment?
Maria:
I think to foster an inclusive environment, it's important to stay up to date with what is going on in the world and how things are impacting marginalized communities. I then try to bring that information to my everyday work life.
For example, we recently implemented the ability to list pronouns in user profiles. It is important that we speak freely with colleagues about such important issues. I was glad to share some of my experience working for equity and inclusion offices on campuses that also implemented pronoun usage on their campuses.
Anthony:
Throughout my time in higher education, one of my personal goals is to always find ways to make others around feel welcomed and valued. I try to foster opportunities to create spaces for individuals to share their experiences and provide insight from their perspectives. This can include sharing ideas in a meeting, telling a story, and providing advice or feedback.

We are grateful for the expertise, hard work and positive attitudes that Maria and Anthony bring to our team. In the coming weeks we will be introducing more of our wonderful and unique colleagues. Please stay tuned.

Not yet a CampusGroups client? Connect with a product expert today so that we can start talking to you about using the platform to support your student engagement goals. We’d love to hear from you!

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