Salli Jenks has been appointed the director of records at Union College. In her new position, Jenks will oversee the operations of the Records office—the team responsible for checking and approving grades, interpreting policies, following academic regulations, managing graduation, sending transcripts, and approving the bulletin and curriculum. Jenks replaced Michelle Younkin, who left Union in June to work at Southern Adventist University.
For the past five years, Jenks served in the Financial Administration office at Union managing the college-owned rental properties, the transportation department, the corporate credit card program along with assisting the vice president for Finance Administration. Before coming to Union, she worked at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., Fletcher Academy in Fletcher, N.C., and also as registrar at Highland Academy in Portland, Tenn.
Jenks graduated from Southern College, now Southern Adventist University, in 1986 with an associate degree in office administration and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with an emphasis in management and leadership, from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minn., in 2008. She encourages young people to get their degrees in higher education while they are still young, as it is much harder later in life when they have a family and full-time jobs.
Jenks chose to apply because she felt the Lord was calling her to this position and she enjoyed working as a registrar in the past. “I am thankful for the opportunity to have worked in Financial Administration with some wonderful people,” she explained, “and now I’m excited to get back to working on the academic side with more wonderful people.”
“Salli embodies the Union spirit,” said Dr. Frankie Rose, vice president for Academic Administration. “She cares about people, and anyone who has talked with her knows it. Salli also brings a passion for efficiency and strong work ethic to all that she does. I can’t wait to see how she and her team tackle and solve the challenges that face the Records office.”
Jenks’ husband, Paul, also works at Union as director of Plant Services. Her younger daughter, Mattison, plans to graduate from Union’s nursing program next spring, and her older daughter, Megan, recently graduated from Union with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.
By Elizabeth Bearden