CofC Faces to Know: January Nelson

Name: January Nelson

Hometown: Charleston

Education: Burke High School and Winthrop University

Job title: Customer Engagement Specialist at Campus Services HQ

How long have you worked at the College? I worked in the bookstore for 13 years before joining the team at Campus Services HQ in 2021.

What are your job responsibilities? Working in Campus Services HQ – the customer service office for our seven Campus Services areas – I work with my coworkers to answer a variety of questions in person and through our customer service software, Let’s Talk, about all of our areas, but most frequently Cougar Cards, meal plans, parking, CARTA and other transportation. We issue Cougar Cards, process student and employee meal plans, distribute parking permits and manage citations, and help residential students with lost keys, among other services.

What do you like most about your job? Interacting and engaging with the entire campus community.

What question do you get asked most in your job and what’s your typical answer? Any and everything related to parking. There really is no typical answer – every situation is a bit different. But I can say, always read any emails from Campus Services and follow the instructions! We’re always here to answer any follow-up questions.

What are your hobbies? I love reading and jigsaw puzzles and have recently begun collecting vinyl records.

What personal and/or professional accomplishment are you most proud of? My biggest accomplishments are my children, Tristan and Jordan.

Name a creative work (book, movie, performance, etc.) you enjoyed recently – why? My husband and I recently enjoyed The Woman King with Viola Davis. It was a great movie!

What was your favorite TV show growing up? Mama’s Family and A Different World. I still watch reruns all the time.

What’s next on your bucket list? Lots and lots of travel. I would love to experience New Orleans, Seattle, Greece and Nigeria.

What is something your campus colleagues would be surprised to know about you? People often assume that I was named January because I was born in January. I was born in June, and my name was inspired by the main character in the book Once Is Not Enough by Jacqueline Susann.

What was your first job? Unofficially, helping my grandmother in her beauty salon restocking the snack bar and soda cooler, washing towels and sweeping up and eventually giving shampoos and roller sets. Officially, gift wrapping holiday presents in Belk department store.

What’s your favorite Lowcountry restaurant? Pages Okra Grill and Rodney Scotts

Describe your perfect day: Any day that is full of family, food and football is a perfect day.

To nominate a faculty or staff member to be featured in the “CofC Faces to Know” series, please send the person’s name and email address to facstaffnews@cofc.edu. Please include “CofC Faces to Know” in the email subject line.