Baylie Sasser’s journey at Trinity Valley Community College didn’t end when she transitioned from student to employee—it simply took on a new meaning. From her time in Student Government Association to her current role as a Recruiter in the Enrollment Services Office, Baylie has dedicated countless hours to serving students.
“[Recruiting] is really fulfilling, it’s very full circle for me personally,” Baylie shared. “Just a couple of years ago I was in their shoes – confused, scared, but hoping for the best even though I didn’t know what I was doing.”
Baylie originally came to TVCC from Kemp Independent School district to pursue a degree in psychology. She also came with a background in dance and hopes to continue dancing in college. An injury, however, kept her from doing so. What felt like a setback at the time would ultimately become a turning point, not only in Baylie’s college career, but her future professional career as well.
Former SGA-Athens Chapter President Gauge Carmon and Vice President Heidi Davis introduced Baylie to the idea of SGA and the Red Bird program. The rest is history.
After joining, Baylie went on to serve as the SGA Freshman Representative, with Gauge still leading as President. In April of 2025 their team received State Chapter of the Year at the SGA state convention. Baylie says this trip was a defining moment for her journey at TVCC.
“Knowing that it was Gauge and Heidi’s last hurrah, but that Bree [friend and fellow Red Bird Bree Daniel] and I get to carry it on… it was really fulfilling to see that all of our hard work had paid off. All of the hours spent, all of the little bickering fights… it came together and we actually did something with that.”
Baylie affectionately dubbed the group of Gauge, Heidi, Bree and herself the ‘Core Four,’ a reflection of the close bond they formed through SGA. But the experience gave Baylie more than friendships. The following year, she was elected SGA president—winning by just one vote. She went on to lead her own team to state convention that year, placing second in State Chapter.
“We got second in chapter instead of first, and that kind of took me down a level, but then I thought ‘You know what? At least we placed, at least we made it out of region, at least we got to compete.’ Someone saw our work and thought it was worthy of placing.”
The awards, titles, and friendships weren’t the only takeaways from her time in SGA and Red Birds, however.
“A lot of what I learned from SGA and being a Red Bird that I’ve carried into this job are things like public speaking and how to be a people person. [Director of Enrollment Services and SGA Advisor] Dr. Courtney Lewis won Texas Legend this year [at the SGA State Convention] and I was the one that got to present it to her. While it was a short speech, it was the largest crowd I’ve spoken to, and through [what I learned] from Red Birds and SGA I was able to have the confidence to do that in the first place.”
Not only did these experiences help Baylie develop tangible skills like public speaking, but she also learned the importance of empathy and being able to put herself in someone else’s shoes. As a first-generation college student herself, Baylie remembers how overwhelming the enrollment process can feel when navigating it for the first time. Now on the other side of that process, she recognizes those same feelings in many of the students she works with.
“I do see myself in a lot of these students because some of them, more than you would think, don’t have much help. We are the only help that they have.”
Baylie explained that for some students, even completing a college application is an entirely new experience. What may seem like a simple process to some students can be intimidating for others.
“Helping students navigate even the small things – it’s very easy for people to quickly overthink the entire admissions process. And then you tell them, ‘We only really need three things from you, and they’re three very easy things to get.' [Once you explain that] you can see the relief.”
The unprecedented turn at the start of Baylie’s college experience could be framed as a blessing in disguise, as it brought her where she is today. From finding her own community through SGA and Red Birds to now helping future Cardinals find their place at TVCC, getting involved made an impact on Baylie that goes far beyond her time here as a student.
If there is one thing that Baylie wants current and prospective students to know, it’s the importance of getting involved.
“When Heidi and Gauge first told me about Red Birds I thought ‘this just isn’t my thing,” she expressed. “But then I started to get involved and it was so much fun, I’m so glad I did. Now it is my thing. It is 100 percent my thing, and these are my people. I genuinely couldn’t see myself anywhere else.”