Staff Spotlight: David Stubbs

COVINGTON, Ga. — Born and raised in Lithonia, Ga., David Stubbs, one of Perimeter College’s student engagement coordinators, loves living in the Atlanta area so he can stay close to family and friends while enjoying the city’s vibrant sports culture and dynamic arts scene. He describes himself as a “diehard Hawks and Falcons fan.” You can catch him attending local basketball and football games as well as enjoying a pick-up basketball game with friends as a way to keep active. “Sometimes exercising can feel a little daunting or just tiring, but when you’re doing something that you enjoy doing, it makes it a little bit better, especially with friends.” Stubbs has a membership to the High Museum of Art and loves making connections with people when he’s viewing art. He also plays saxophone, a hobby he’s had since 4^th grade.

Below we talked with Stubbs about his role working with Student Engagement on Newton Campus, his previous experience at Perimeter College, why helping students is so important and his many hobbies.

Hi David, how long have you worked as a Student Engagement Coordinator?
I’ve worked at Perimeter for five months. I started in September 2025.

So you’re relatively new to Perimeter.
In this capacity, yes. But I actually graduated from Perimeter in 2021.

Oh very nice! Tell me about your experience here. What was your pathway?
Perimeter was an excellent fit for me as a student. Coming from a small high school, the smaller class sizes and hands‑on teaching approach allowed me to thrive academically. I also appreciated the strong sense of community that Perimeter offered, which helped me build lifelong friendships with fellow students I remain close to today.

During my time at Perimeter, I gained valuable professional experience through my involvement with the Panther Activities Council (PAC), an opportunity that ultimately helped pave the way for the position I hold today. My pathway was Sport Management.

Where did you go to school after Perimeter?
My transition to Morehouse is a meaningful and unique part of my journey. I come from a long line of Morehouse graduates—my father and two of my uncles—which made the decision especially significant for me. Initially, I wanted to forge my own path, and that desire led me to Perimeter.

After completing my degree at Perimeter, my original plan was to transition to the Atlanta campus. However, after thoughtful conversations with my family and some deep self‑reflection, I realized that Morehouse offered a unique opportunity for personal growth while also allowing me to honor my family’s legacy by walking in their footsteps. Later, I received my master's degree from Arkansas State in Sports Administration.

Well, welcome back to Perimeter! Tell us what your job entails.
My role as a student engagement coordinator focuses on creating inclusive programs and partnerships that help students feel connected to campus. I design and implement engagement activities, advise student organizations, collaborate with campus partners and assess participation and impact—all with the goal of supporting student belonging, leadership and success.

That’s great. Can you tell us about some of the activities and events you’ve implemented for students on the Newton campus?
My favorite from the fall was our Native American history event. It was one of the first that I planned from start to finish. I collaborated with Slava Prachenko, one of our music professors on Clarkston Campus. He played Native American flutes and shared the origins of the instruments. The students were very drawn to the flutes. They were really engaged. So that made me feel good that they were enjoying his presentation. We also incorporated an arts and crafts element to the event and offered Native American food to the students. Students love food, you know! It was great to collaborate with a professor, and the event was a success because the students were so engaged.

Sounds like everyone had a fun time. What is your favorite thing about your job?
My favorite part of my role is the opportunity to build genuine connections with students and positively impact their experience. I especially enjoy planning events that resonate with students and create meaningful opportunities for engagement.

When I was a student here, I was a little shy at first. I didn't really know a lot of people. Dr. Culverson, who's my boss now, and the Panther Activities Council (PAC) directors reached out to me. They were very intentional with the time they spent with students. When I joined PAC, I was able to see the positive effects of being really engaging with students, how that can have a positive impact on their academic career and campus experience.

I’m a people person. I love talking to people getting to know them. Now that I work here, I try to learn the students’ names so when I see them, I can say ‘hey, how are you doing?’ When I'm on campus, students stop by, and I can have those genuine conversations with them. Just let them know that if they need help or resources that they're not alone. I can give them advice as a former student. Sometimes students don’t know things, and they end up missing opportunities because they didn't ask questions. I’m willing to listen to the students and have those good conversations with them. It’s important to me that they know they have someone else they can use as a resource, and they can get the most out of their time here.

Students have so much opportunity at Perimeter, where they can join different clubs and organizations. Some of my best friends that I have now are people I've met at Perimeter. Perimeter really can impact you if you put yourself out there and try to get involved.

What is your favorite aspect of working at Perimeter?
What I value most about working at Perimeter is the strong sense of community—everyone truly treats one another like family, which fosters a welcoming and supportive environment for faculty, staff and students alike.

Sounds like you really care about the students’ experience here. Let’s talk about you a little more. How do you like to spend your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy playing chess and competing in tournaments throughout the Metro Atlanta area. I’m also a huge sports fan who can enjoy just about any sport, whether watching or playing. Basketball is one of my favorite ways to stay active, and I love going to the movie theater to catch the latest films. I love all things Sci-Fi and Superhero related. I really enjoyed Fantastic Four and Superman last year. My whole family is really into Sci-Fi so we make it a family thing to go see movies together. Sometimes I end up seeing a movie more than once because I might go with my parents one time and then go with other family members to see it again. I’m a big Star Wars fan. My mom is really big into Star Wars and I always had Star Wars costumes as a kid, like Yoda and Mace Windu. Return of the Jedi is probably my favorite Sci-Fi movie.

Do you have a favorite quote?
My favorite quote is, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,’ because it encourages me to embrace new opportunities and step outside my comfort zone.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I love spending time with my two dogs, Theo the Beagle and Rufus the Chihuahua.

Thank you for sharing your time with us, David!

Story by Christy Petterson
Photo by Meg Buscema