Take Five with Lillian Wilkins: Hotline Support Representative in the Office of Access and Enrollment

Take Five is a series that highlights some of the many members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our schools. If you know someone who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here. 

Meet Lillian Wilkins, a Hotline Support Representative in the CPS Office of Access and Enrollment (OAE)! In this role, Lillian provides community members who are calling the OAE Hotline with direct support on the enrollment process and anything related to GoCPS. Lillian has a warm, bubbly personality, and her love for her work shines through in every interaction. 

As a proud CPS graduate and former CPS parent, Lillian understands that many questions come up for families during the enrollment process. Through her role on the OAE Hotline, she is dedicated to making these families feel valued and getting them the answers they need.

“Families truly appreciate the care and concern Lillian takes when she is troubleshooting problems for them. They will even call and ask for her specifically,” says Sarah Briggs, the Director of Access and Enrollment. “She exemplifies our CPS core values, always encourages her colleagues, and consistently demonstrates empathy for our students and families.”

Learn more about Lillian below!

How would you describe your approach to supporting families?

When someone calls the hotline and I pick up, I am CPS to them, and I want to make sure they have a positive experience. Even if someone calls about something my team doesn’t handle, I will never give them the runaround, and I will make sure to connect them with the right person. I want our families to start out on the right foot with CPS, because that will help keep them excited about our schools.

What do you like most about your work?

I love being able to help people. My work is a joy, and I’ve gained so much knowledge about the enrollment process that I spread wherever I go. When I’m out in public and I hear people talking about how they don’t know how to do something with GoCPS, I love that I can introduce myself and help get them answers. 

What is something people might be surprised to learn about the work you do?

When you call the OAE Hotline, you will never get a robot. It will always be a live person! You will be able to make a real connection, and we will never brush you off. 

What is one goal you have for the start of this school year?

I want the enrollment process to be as seamless as possible for families. If someone is trying to get their child to school and they’re told “we’re not able to help you,” that’s not creating the kind of relationship we want with our families. I want our students and families to feel like they belong here—because they do.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I love to sing, journal, and read my Bible!