College president demonstrates extreme passion for helping students reach career goals

It takes a lot to run and manage a college with an annual enrollment of more than 1800 students across 10 locations throughout the country. The job isn’t cut out for everybody but for president and CEO of InterCoast Colleges, Geeta Brown, it is her calling.

InterCoast College is a private career college designed to provide associates degree and diploma level career programs that prepare students to succeed in specialized fields of allied health, legal, business and trade industries.

Brown says her journey into the education industry began after graduating college.

“I was just leaving college and I got into it because I really enjoyed helping others. Throughout my college life I was told that I was good coach,” said Brown. “People tend to gravitate to me.”

Helping others came naturally to Brown. While still in college she would often help classmates and friends select classes and choose a major. All of her efforts played a pivotal role in helping them decide their career paths.

Having already been fit for a leadership role as a member of student government, Brown knew that a high ranking position at a for-profit college was meant for her.

“I ran into this position in a vocational school setting and realized that it was about helping others and coaching others to first find their niche and then find their joy,” said Brown. “Often times, students would come into our schools, not knowing what they want to do for a living. They don’t know what they want their career to be and I knew that I could help them discover that.”

Brown says many InterCoast students are returning students who have experienced challenges in their lives that have restricted them from continuing their educations. Some students have been out of high school for some time while others have tried a community college or state university while others dropped out or even graduated but haven’t found what they truly want to do.

Brown admits that initially she didn’t know how her role as president and CEO of InterCoast would progress, but once she started she began to guide, motivate and coach students.

“I quickly found that I was the one that was inspired and motivated by them,” said Brown. “They really were passionate about making a change in their lives. I got into the field and have never gotten out.”

Maintaining a strong relationship with students is something Brown takes pride in. She holds an open door and open phone policy in which students can contact her whenever they feel they need to.

Even with 10 InterCoast College campuses, Brown travels to each campus and makes building relationships with students a priority. She also engages in weekly calls with each campus president to ensure the success of programs, students and curriculums.

“We talk about students’ struggles and any assistance they need that I might be able to provide,” said Brown. “I just want to help them because it’s my passion.”

Brown says that at the end of the day, the students come first whatever their situation may be.

“Sometimes they come in searching for a career or field but aren’t sure what they want to do. They then find that they would make excellent alcohol and drug counselors,” said Brown. “When you see their passion and they’re excitement once they’ve been in the field and end up as supervisors in treatment facilities, it really is very rewarding for them and for me.”