December 7, 2016

Getting to Know: Fox rises through the ranks by giving back

Wayne State University is like a city within a city with 7,700 employees and more than 27,000 students, accounting for a total campus population of nearly 35,000. In an effort to learn more about our faculty and staff; their passions, hobbies, and personal history at the university, Today@Wayne will regularly feature stories about employees in a column titled “Getting to Know.”

When she enrolled at Central Michigan University, Jamie Fox became the first in her family to attend college. As with many first-generation students, navigating the application and financial aid processes was daunting, but school officials helped her through. She went on to earn an undergraduate degree in political science and a master’s in public administration.  

Fox, a Mount Pleasant native, is so thankful for her education and such a big believer in its ability to empower people that in 2009, during the depths of the recession, she moved to the Detroit area and took a job as a financial aid officer at Wayne State University.

“As a financial aid recipient myself, I thought the best way I could give back what was given to me was by working in financial aid in the city of Detroit,” said Fox.

Since then, Fox has given back in several capacities at Wayne State. She quickly rose through the ranks, serving as manager of federal programs, assistant director of operations, associate director of processing, and interim associate director of financial aid in the School of Medicine. In January 2015, she took on the title of director of enrollment management services for the School of Medicine.

In her short time in her current role, Fox has helped drive significant change at the School of Medicine. Several offices have been reorganized into an enrollment management team, a new holistic admissions process has been implemented, and the application process has moved from paper to online.

“Jamie is a valued member of the medical education leadership team and one of our highest performing managers,” said, Dr. Richard Baker, vice dean for Medical Education. “She is mission focused, resourceful and relentlessly committed to organizational excellence. A classic “can do” person.”

As part of her enrollment management responsibilities, Fox oversees records and registration, and — in partnership with the main campus Office of Student Financial Aid — assists with financial aid. The Office of Records and Registration has partnered with Computing and Information Technology to revamp the technology used to manage records, class scheduling and scheduling with clinical partners.

Fox’s efforts are now being noticed by those outside of the university.

The United States Army will recognize Fox on Jan. 7, 2017, at its All-American Bowl football game in San Antonio. The event is considered the premier high school football game in the country and is broadcast nationally.  

“Jamie Fox is always extremely helpful and available to the Army medical recruiters,” said Cpt. Michael McShane. “She consistently looks for ways to improve our collaboration. Her entire office has enabled us to recruit highly competitive medical students into the Army while providing them a full Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)scholarship to Wayne State University School of Medicine. Jamie is a consummate professional and has enabled the Dearborn U.S. Army Medical Recruiting Center to attain their goals.”

(If you would like to nominate a Wayne State employee for a future “Getting to Know” feature story, please send your recommendation to media@wayne.edu.)

Subscribe to Today@Wayne

Direct to your inbox twice a week