October is Careers in Student Affairs Month! To celebrate, the Office of Student Life is highlighting staff members from different teams and departments. Learn more about each staff member and their Student Life journey by reading the spotlights below.
Molly Weiler
Office for Sexual Violence Prevention and Victim Advocacy
Molly Weiler is the Assistant Director of Sexual Violence Prevention in the Office for Sexual Violence Prevention and Victim Advocacy. Molly has worked at IU in the Student Life field for 2 and a half years.
What’s one specific moment or story that sticks out to you and shows why you enjoy working in Student Life?
“I LOVE working tabling events. It’s really satisfying to see them learn in real time. I especially find it satisfying to work with students who may be skeptical about topics and to watch them come around to new ideas. It is also gratifying to have them come up to me while I’m walking on campus to talk about how much they enjoyed a program or to share the ways they have used the knowledge they gained as a result of our programs. I really feel like I know a good portion of the students on this campus, which makes this job that much better!”
What advice do you have for those looking to world in the field of Student Life?
“I think working in Student Life is about building relationships with people. I would encourage folks who are considering careers in Student Life to find ways to practice relationship building skills and bringing people together. Also, find ways to remain humble and be open to learning new approaches as this field continues to evolve.”
Kathleen Field
Student Legal Services
Kathleen Field is a Staff Attorney at Student Legal Services. Kathleen has worked at IU in the Student Life field for 8 years.
What’s one specific moment or story that sticks out to you and shows why you enjoy working in Student Life?
“I helped a transgender student change their legal name and gender marker. The process requires a court hearing. The student was nervous about going to court because it is formal and they had to go before a judge. We talked through their apprehension and prepared for the court hearing. The day of court, the student‘s mom and sister were present for support and the hearing went smoothly. It was a joyful celebration in the courtroom when the judge issued the order so that my client’s legal name and legal gender marker officially matched their identity. There were happy tears and lots of hugs and photos taken with the judge and the family. I enjoyed being able to help that student navigate the court process and celebrate with them and their family.”
What advice do you have for those looking to work in the field of Student Life?
“Be aware of generational communication differences! (Read email!)”
Valerie Houin
Accessible Educational Services
Valerie Houin is an Access Coordinator at Accessible Educational Services. Valerie has worked at IU in the Student Life field for 7 years.
What’s one specific moment or story that sticks out to you and shows why you enjoy working in Student Life?
“When I work with pregnant students to inform them of their Title IX rights, support their academic progress, and encourage proper parental leave, they are always amazed and so appreciative. As an added bonus, I get to see their little ones after delivery and know they have happy, healthy, successful moms to love and support them. It truly makes me so proud to be a Hoosier!”
What advice do you have for those looking to work in the field of Student Life?
“It is extremely beneficial to AES and our students that my colleagues and I have diverse backgrounds and education. I encourage anyone interested in supporting students to research opportunities to use their own experience and expertise to add to Student Life.”
Is there anything else about working in this field that you would like to share with others?
“Accessibility can be challenging at times, but it is extremely rewarding, I would encourage anyone with a passion for equity to consider working in accessibility services.”
Samantha Robinson
Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life
Samantha is the Senior Assistant Director of Standards and Accountability in the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life. Samantha has worked at IU for 2 years and in the Student Life field for 6 years.
What’s one specific moment or story that sticks out to you and shows why you enjoy working in Student Life?
“I started in my role in July 2022. The first meeting I had was with an organization that required some TLC with standards and accountability. This process was not easy for the organization, as they had continual concerns that stemmed from rooted behaviors for years. Throughout the course of 1.5 years, I was able to build a strong relationship with organization leadership to challenge and support them to reimagine a safe, healthy, and inclusive membership. There were many times that hard conversations were facilitated to which I was not a fan favorite. However, with continued support by challenging the status quo of the organization, membership acknowledged that I was there to help hold them accountable by creating a space of belonging. This past August, I witnessed the hard work and dedication of the organization through their resilient behavior to make change that was lasting, not just for four years, but for life.”
What advice do you have for those looking to work in the field of Student Life?
“Always keep an open mind when working with students. As much as we can challenge and support them, they can do the same for us. Have patience with building a rapport through trust and transparency. This will take time, but at the end it makes all the challenges worthwhile.”
Is there anything else about working in this field that you would like to share with others?
“The day in and day out of higher education is hard work, but it is so rewarding helping students navigate through all the obstacles of their organizations.”
Reagan Lewis
IU Corps
Reagan is the Assistant Director of IU Corps. Reagan has worked at IU in the Student Life field for 1 year and 1 month.
What’s one specific moment or story that sticks out to you and shows why you enjoy working in Student Life?
“When I help students build connections to the community and they want to know what’s next. This semester, we helped CAV and a student had just finished volunteering and wanted to know what was next and how they could do more!”
What advice do you have for those looking to work in the field of Student Life?
“Make sure the students are your why.”
Stay tuned all throughout October for more staff spotlights!
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