Staff Spotlight: Meet Brooklynn Gray, UNM Online Student Recruiter
September 4, 2025 - UNM Online
At UNM Online, our staff are often the first point of connection for prospective Lobos, guiding them to the programs, resources, and support they need to pursue their educational goals. This month, we’re excited to highlight Brooklynn Gray, who joined the Marketing, Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention (MORR) team in May 2025 as a Student Recruiter.
When I sat down with Brooklynn, she shared her experiences as a student and graduate at UNM, her journey into higher education, and her passion for helping students find the program that works best for them. It was clear how her journey at UNM influences the way she now supports students exploring online programs, today.
From Student to Recruiter
Brooklynn began her undergraduate studies at UNM in fall 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. Like many students at that time, her first year was spent fully online. “It was a unique time to be fully online because everyone, from students to professors to deans, was adjusting to the new reality we found ourselves in,” she explained. Despite the challenges, she felt the courses were well organized and appreciated the flexibility they provided.
Even after UNM returned to in-person instruction, Brooklynn continued to take a few online courses because she enjoyed their self-paced nature. During graduate school, she took additional online classes in the English Department and found them particularly meaningful because of the strong community the professor created. “The professor did an amazing job at developing a sense of community in the online space,” she said. “She was incredibly interactive with students every week, which made the classroom feel both supportive and engaging.”
Brooklynn went on to earn both a Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal Communication and a Master of Arts in Critical Intercultural Studies from UNM’s Department of Communication & Journalism. She credits her studies with preparing her for her current role. “So much of recruitment is about listening, understanding, and connecting with people,” she reflected.
Experiences that Shape Her Work
Although Brooklynn joined UNM Online the same month she graduated with her master’s degree, she had already built a wealth of professional experience through graduate assistantships. She worked with the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center, the Office of Assessment and Academic Program Review, and the Department of Communication & Journalism (C&J).
At LoboRESPECT, she worked as the front desk receptionist, organized awareness events, assisted with training, and managed their social media. “It was an incredibly student-facing position,” she recalled, “and I learned how to support students as they navigated both personal and academic challenges.”
Her position with OAAPR gave her a different perspective. Fully remote and more analytical, the role focused on assessing how students met program goals. Brooklynn explained that this prepared her well for the remote aspects of her current role and gave her experience collaborating with a team across distance.
Finally, as a Teaching Assistant for Public Speaking in the C&J Department, Brooklynn taught for two semesters, including one conducted fully online. “It was a really great learning experience to implement what I felt may have been missing from online education and provide that for my students,” she said. She also found value in listening to student feedback and adjusting her teaching based on their needs.
Each of these experiences gave Brooklynn the skills that now translate directly into her work with UNM Online, whether that’s supporting students, analyzing outcomes, or communicating effectively in digital spaces.
Guiding Students with Care
When chatting with Brooklynn about her approach to working with prospective students, she emphasized the importance of listening first. “A large part of the population we work with are students returning to school to complete a degree,” she said. Many of these students are balancing jobs, family responsibilities, or living out of state, and Brooklynn takes those circumstances into account when guiding them toward programs.
“It’s not just about what they want to study,” she explained, “but how an online program can realistically fit into their life. So, I make sure that when I am guiding students toward a degree program that I am taking their current positions into consideration to figure out what is best for them.” Drawing from her own experiences as an online student, she brings empathy and understanding to her work, always focused on helping learners find the program that suits them best.
Life Beyond Work
Outside of her role at UNM Online, Brooklynn makes it a priority to do something enjoyable each day, whether it’s yoga, roller-skating, or attending concerts. She also loves traveling and exploring new cities. Closer to home, she’s been on a mission to try a new restaurant or coffee shop in Albuquerque every week. “There are so many amazing food and drink spots here to explore,” she shared with a smile.
Brooklynn’s transition from student to staff, here at UNM, reflects her resilience and genuine passion for higher education. She brings the perspective of someone who has lived the online learning experience and now uses that insight to support others. Whether she’s connecting with prospective students, creating outreach materials, or discovering Albuquerque’s food scene, Brooklynn approaches each experience with curiosity, empathy, and enthusiasm. We’re thrilled to have her on the UNM Online team.
You can connect with Brooklynn and the UNM Online student support team for Virtual Advisement Hours. They’re a great way to get individualized support, questions answered, and to learn more about UNM. The sessions are hosted through Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 AM to noon (MST). Can’t make that time? You can email the team at online@unm.edu or call 505-277-9000, no appointment needed. Join the Tuesday/Thursday Virtual Office Hours via Zoom
