People with Purpose: Zac Malcolm

Sometimes, all a student needs to believe in themselves is a person who believes in them first.

That's how Zac Malcolm, director of recruitment in the College of Arts and Sciences, approaches his role. Whether building trust with students, recognizing their strengths or encouraging them to pursue new opportunities, Malcolm is a source of encouragement every step of the way — finding his purpose in helping students discover what they are capable of.

Q: What drives you to support students?

Malcolm: I would very much consider myself an empathetic people person, and the students here at K-State are always surprising me with the amazing things they are doing. It is my honor to support future professionals who will change the world we live in.

Q: Are there any moments you saw a student's hard work pay off? How were you a part of that story?

Malcolm: I serve as an advisor to the College of Arts and Sciences ambassadors, and during COVID-19, our organization struggled with membership and engagement. One of our students stepped up to serve as president and made it a priority despite his rigorous coursework and extracurriculars as a pre-med student.

During his two years as president, the organization took off and has seen steady engagement from our members. Upon graduating, I wrote him a letter in support of his successful medical school application!

 

Q: What helps you earn students' trust in your role?

Malcolm: I try to earn the students' trust by trusting them first and making sure they know I’m here to support them. I try to set clear expectations and be authentic and generous in my connections with them. Though my college experience was a long time ago, I do remember the struggles and the challenges of being a full-time student.

Q: What is a time when a student interaction stayed with you long after the day ended?

Malcolm: In my previous role as an academic advisor, I met with an incoming freshman who was interested in physical therapy but planned to enroll in the pre-physical therapy assistant program. I asked if she'd considered going to physical therapy school rather than certifying as a physical therapy assistant, and she said it was too competitive and that she would need a high GPA and too many prerequisites.

Her mother and I encouraged her to go for it, at least for her first semester. By the end of her senior year, she had a 4.0 GPA and could take her pick of the three schools she was accepted to. My last advising appointment with her showed a completely different person than when she'd first walked in; one bursting with confidence. That stuck with me for more than just that day.