One Cleveland State Alum Steps Down While Another Steps Up to Run CSCC Bookstore
One Cleveland State Alum Steps Down While Another Steps Up to Run CSCC Bookstore
Holly Appleton
Monday, December 20, 2021 12:00 AM
Alumni, All, Employees, Community
CLEVELAND, Tenn. - When Mike Jaynes was enrolled at Cleveland State Community College over 20 years ago, he had no idea he would one day return to run the CSCC bookstore (owned by Follett), but that’s exactly what happened. Now, seven years and a promotion under his belt, Jaynes will be leaving his alma mater to pursue his new role as a Digital Operations Manager for Follett.
“Mike is an outstanding manager and was recognized by Follett in 2018 as Store Manager of the Year,” stated Alisha Fox, Vice President for Finance / Chief Operating Officer.
“As an alumnus of CSCC and a Cleveland native, Mike has always been dedicated to serving our students and our community. He is always willing to go above and beyond to provide the best possible customer service. Mike will be greatly missed, but we at Cleveland State are so excited for him and this new opportunity!”
According to Jaynes, although there have been a lot of changes at CSCC since he attended in the 90’s, including renovations, new academic offerings, two new buildings this past year, there are some things that haven’t changed…the care he received from the faculty and staff still remains the same.
“The professors at CSCC taught me how to be a college student. Even though that was a long time ago, I remember how accessible my professors were and how willing they were to make sure I was understanding the material they were teaching. In that sense, not much has changed in over 20 years!”
Jaynes credits many of his CSCC instructors for his success and for wanting to return to work at the college. Denice King (Associate Professor of Biology), Jim Meir (Associate Professor of Accounting) and Neil Greenwood (Professor of History) were some of his favorite instructors who are still teaching for the college today.
Jaynes continued, “Helping students transition from high school to college or helping adult students who are returning to college is what I’ve liked the most about working at CSCC. I have run into graduates of CSCC at random places around Cleveland and Knoxville, and they say, ‘Hey, you’re the bookstore guy from Cleveland State. You were so helpful when I was there.’ That’s what drove me and my team every day.”
Speaking of his team, Jaynes’ Assistant Manager Andrea Sanislo was promoted to Store Manager. She has been the Assistant Manager for ten years and has worked in the bookstore for 12 years. Sanislo also attended Cleveland State from 2005-2007 and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Lee University in 2010.
“I am very excited about my new role as manager,” stated Sanislo. “I am looking forward to the future with positivity in the growth of myself, the company, and the school. I can't wait to see what the future holds.”
“Andrea is absolutely deserving of this promotion,” stated Jaynes. “I told her when I became the manager that my goal was to get her promoted to manager. It took some time to find the perfect opportunity for me professionally to make that happen, but it provided time for Andrea to learn all the ins and outs of running the store. I am extremely excited for and proud of Andrea. I’m confident she will do an excellent job for Cleveland State!”In his new role, Jaynes will be assisting other bookstore managers and colleges across the country with their inclusive access programs, all from the comfort of his home in Knoxville as the new position allows him to work from home.
“I will miss the wonderful people who work here,” stated Jaynes. It truly is a family, and I will miss it terribly. I have made some lifelong friends while working here...but I love to help store managers, so this is a great opportunity for me.”
After attending CSCC, Jaynes transferred to Tennessee Technological University (TTU) in Cookeville, TN where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
