At Your Student Service

 Kayla Molnar Helps Students Spread their Wings at COM

The work of Student Services never stops. From onboarding new students into their first taste of college life to connecting them with resources to help them reach their goals, this group of special people lay an important foundation for the COM student experience. 

Kayla Molnar is one such person. 

Since joining College of the Mainland last year, Molnar has thoroughly enjoyed helping students navigate the process of getting started at college. 

“I love the culture. I love the community. I love the people that I work with, and I love the students that I serve,” she said. 

For Molnar, this passion for COM exudes in her work where she helps students shape their educational goals along their new journey. She administers career assessments, helps students navigate financial aid, assists with the college application process and shares various career resources — all in the hopes of empowering students to make informed academic decisions that will lead them toward a rewarding future. 

“If you’re thinking about college, come talk to us because we want to make sure you’re making a well-informed decision about what you’re going to enter into,” she said.  

As a new member of the COM family, Molnar enjoys exploring her community and connecting with new and prospective students. And those students run the gamut.  

From high school students looking for an early college start to adult learners wanting to make a career change or diversify their skill set, she enjoys helping tailor the COM experience to each student’s individual needs. 

It was during her studies at Baylor University where she learned the impact that meaningful connections can have on transforming a student’s higher educational experience. While she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in education, she started out as a medical humanities major because she had always been told she would make a great doctor. But after digging a little deeper, she realized she had a different calling. 

“When I realized it wasn’t necessarily for me, I went to see a career specialist because I wanted to explore other options,” she recalled.  

As a first-generation college student, Molnar felt apprehensive about that meeting. “I was nervous to show her that I didn’t know what I was doing,” she explained.  

But after taking a career assessment, her counselor took the time to review the results with her. This conversation helped her find a career and major that best fit her interests. 

“The more that we know about ourselves, the more we can advocate for ourselves and pursue things we are interested in,” she said. 

After defining her pathway, Molnar realized she most enjoyed being able to connect with students to figure out where their interests and passions lie. Therefore, joining the Student Services team was a natural fit for her. 

“We understand that personal connection is a deep one,” she said. “Having students visit us to make sure they’re successful is something we’re hoping to achieve here.”  

At COM, where more than 60% of students are first-generation college students, Molnar is able to personally relate to the students she serves.  

“Maybe students face an obstacle that you yourself faced or maybe it’s not the same challenge, but it’s something you can still empathize with,” she said. 

It is through these meaningful connections that Molnar believes College of the Mainland is a special place where students can really feel at home. 

“It is such a caring community,” she said. “Our small classes allow our students to really connect with our faculty and be successful.” 

Outside the classroom, Molnar says that students can also build one-on-one connections with their enrollment coach and academic adviser, which might not be easy to do at other colleges. 

“Knowing that you are not a number, that you are a person and that we care about you really illustrates our values here at COM,” she said.  

Ultimately, Molnar wants potential students to know that they do belong in college and that she and her team are there to support them every step of the way.  

“As a part of the COM community, we want to ensure that you are plugged into the resources that will help you throughout your time here, personally and professionally,” she said. “We’ll guide you in any way we can because we want you to succeed. We want you to flourish. We want you to thrive.”