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Success Spotlights

Meet Kansas City CP Colleen McDermott

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

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Updated October 6, 2016. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
Colleen McDermott, Kansas City CP

After traipsing back and forth, from coast to coast to meet the campus presidents of our health care career college, we're going to settle down in the middle of the country for this latest issue of "Meet Your Concorde Campus Presidents." We're in the nation's heartland catching up with Colleen McDermott, Campus President (CP) of Concorde Career College's campus in Kansas City, Mo. for the last one and a half years.

As CP in Kansas City, McDermott presides over a thriving health care career college campus that offers eight accelerated health care training programs and has a full range of support programs for its students and alumni.

Today, we learn about McDermott's two decades of experience in higher education, the adrenaline rush she gets from all the success stories that come out of this health care career college and what she does to come down from that rush and relax.

Let's meet Concorde - Kansas City Campus President Colleen McDermott.

 

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR JOURNEY TO BECOMING A CONCORDE CP?

 

I started 20 years ago in this industry as a Controller for a for-profit college in Minneapolis. I then became the Campus President for Brown College and then Le Cordon Bleu in Minneapolis (No, I am not a chef; I like to eat out!). I moved to Des Moines, Iowa where I was the Campus President for Kaplan University. I was interim Campus President for Kaplan for two years. I came to work for Concorde five years ago as a Regional Vice President. I was interim Campus President for Concorde in San Diego, Garden Grove, and Aurora. I have been the Campus President at the Kansas City campus for one and a half years.

 

WHAT'S BEEN THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING A CAMPUS PRESIDENT?

 

I am proud of what we do and the lives that we change. Students come to orientation and are so excited to learn and are nervous about starting something new. Seeing the transformation while they are in school is fascinating. Graduation day continues to be the best part. Everyone should attend a graduation!

 

WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES THE KANSAS CITY CAMPUS STAND OUT FOR ITS STUDENTS?

 

We have a very diverse group of students. We are in the inner city. Thus, we have many situations arise. But, these are the students that need to change their lives. The success stories are what we are all about.

 

WHAT'S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WERE EVER GIVEN?

 

Be true to yourself. Listen to others. Lead by example.

 

WHAT'S A FAVORITE TV SHOW, RECENT MOVIE YOU'VE SEEN OR BOOK YOU'VE READ?

 

I just read a book called Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, by Atul Gawande. Now, I am reading his book called Complications. He is a surgeon who writes about medical issues.

 

WHAT IS A HIDDEN TALENT, FAVORITE HOBBY OR LITTLE-KNOWN FACT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

 

I am a yoga teacher, and I had 12 years of piano lessons. I do both for balance and relaxation.

Take The Next Step Towards a Brighter Future

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  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.