Ms. Lorraine Derwin

In her first year as a professional Admissions Officer, Lorraine Derwin aimed to enroll 15 potential students. By the end of that year, she surpassed her goal by enrolling over 65 people.

Lorraine brings several years of admissions experience to her role as Associate Director of Admissions for Recruitment at St. Thomas Aquinas College. For her, helping students doesn’t end when the enrollment is complete, and she always encourages students to reach out any time they have questions or need assistance as they transition into college life.

“I keep in contact with the student all the way through from the time that they’re inquiring about the school, to applying, to registering for classes, and through graduation,” she says. “It is so important for the Admissions Counselor to make the students feel welcome.”

As an Admissions Counselor, Lorraine enjoys watching the students she meets in their first year become involved with the college’s community before graduating and starting their next chapter. “There is no better feeling than when students come back and tell you how much they loved the college, and now they are moving on to their career,” she says.

Lorraine’s career has always been student-focused. She was the Alumni Trustee for Bergen Community College, a position that required her to be the liaison between the students at the college and the Board of Trustees. While attending Felician University for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, she worked as a Student Ambassador for the admissions office. In 2017, she joined the university’s financial aid office as a counselor where she informed first-year students on how they could apply for financial aid and processed loan packages. A year later, Lorraine returned to the admissions team as the Assistant Director of Enrollment Management Services, exceeding the university’s enrollment goals while simultaneously managing the team’s social media for transfer and adult graduate students.

During her time on Felician’s admissions team, Lorraine met students inside the classroom as well. She served as an Adjunct Professor in the Communications department and taught public speaking and speech communications courses at both Bergen Community College and Felician University.

Outside of the office, Lorraine enjoys singing jazz and opera. She even interprets through American Sign Language (ASL) while she sings! She also enjoys fishing, catching up with friends and family, and spending time with her Dachshund named Belle.