Dean Mitchell Empowers Students to "Step Beyond"

Alicia Cook     alicia_cook@bloomfield.edu

Rose Mitchell, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Bloomfield College, has been helping students for 25 years. She is a motivational speaker, keynoter, trainer, consultant and life coach. It would be hard to find a single student on campus who has not been positively impacted by her.

“Each morning, I arrive to work and ask myself, ‘who can I help today?’” said Mitchell.

Mitchell’s exceptional leadership and commitment for inspiring people to accept challenges, seek opportunities, and strive for excellence has become her life’s mission.  Each semester she personally mentors up to 15 Bloomfield College students. This semester alone, she has already personally connected with nearly 300 students. She helps motivate them academically, pushes them to achieve their own goals, and keeps them on track towards graduation.

“I want to help students realize that they have the ability to go to college and not just do well, but do exceedingly well,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell quickly demonstrates to students that she will never give up on them. One time going as far as sending a taxi to a student’s home so she could make it to campus on time for her final exam.

“If my time has the chance to alter, change, or benefit a person, I’m helping,” said Mitchell. “Just knowing at the end of each day that I gave everything I could to someone else makes it all worth it.”

Her message of empowerment reaches beyond the walls of the College. On May 7, Mitchell was the keynote speaker at the Young Women’s Leadership Conference hosted by the Township of Bloomfield which encouraged young women to take advantage of leadership opportunities.

Her motivational speech covered her message of the “Three P’s,” which are power, passion, and persistence. She spoke to the crowd about the importance of these three motivators and explained how they work together to help students reach their full potential in college and beyond.

“Life is like a train ride,” said Mitchell, echoing the sentiments of John A. Passaro. “While everything is moving forward, something can happen to derail you. What do you do when these things happen? You get back on the train and keep moving forward towards your ultimate destination.”

On the suggestion of one of her students, Mitchell founded her own organization in 2002, “Step Beyond,” to inspire and encourage people to seek opportunities, establish goals and Step Towards Endless Possibilities in their educational, personal, and professional lives.

With years of experience behind her, she delivers powerful and life altering seminars and keynote addresses for public and private educational institutions, corporations, and organizations. Most recently, she is scheduled to speak at the upcoming Educational Opportunity Fund Counselors Training Institute at Rider University.

It is safe to say that Mitchell loves her role at Bloomfield College.

“I see magic on this campus every day,” stated Mitchell.

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