Welcome to Part 4 of our ongoing series celebrating October as Careers in Student Affairs Month! (Be sure to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 too!) All month, we are highlighting staff members from different teams and departments.
Nancy Cross-Harris
Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center
Nancy is the office and programs assistant at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center. She has worked at IU for 17 years.
What drew you to this field?
I absolutely love being able to assist everyone, especially students, in any way possible!
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
Many years ago, as a mature student on work study, I had the privilege of working for the first director of the NMBCC, Mrs. Caramel Russell. She gave solid direction on how to get the best from students while making them better people. This was simply giving students the attention and care they needed to thrive and guiding them in areas essential for their growth beyond college.
For example, we tried to give students an introduction to the workforce. Early in their studies, the students completed practice interviews, learned how to dress for them, and were instructed to update their resumes, reflecting growth in classwork. By doing this, they were confident when companies came to campus looking to interview and hire people.
Most students got good, entry-level jobs and made lucrative careers out of them! I felt at the time, as I do now, that this process was so essential to me that I try to encourage students like that whenever I can. Together, with my current director, Dr. Gloria Howell, we strongly support those practices, along with internships that will give students confidence and be prepared for whatever challenges life presents.
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
I would say, “Don’t just think about it, do it!” The more you can make a positive difference in someone else’s life, the better yours will be.
Katie Landrum
Recreational Sports
Katie works as assistant director of group fitness programming and wellness initiatives at Rec Sports and has worked at IU for 13 years.
What drew you to this field?
The people and the programs I was involved in during school were the initial draw to this field. I have been lucky to have met the right people at the right times to encourage my career within student life. During my time on campus, I had first-hand experience with the opportunities we create for students every day to grow roots on campus and become a stronger person because of those roots. I was a transfer student who stayed for two degrees and a full-time position because I found my place on a college campus.
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
My favorite moments are the mundane office conversations and connections that lead to a fun program for our students. Those small conversations and moments mean so much not only to colleagues trying to stay connected, but they can create memorable experiences for our students and staff.
One of those simple conversations with our outreach team led to an amazingly fun Dolly Barre-ton group exercise session that we still discuss to this day. One of the outreach coordinators shared a fun idea to theme a Barre fitness group exercise class around a Dolly Parton playlist. Our program assistant at the time LOVED Dolly Parton, so we decided to give it a go. Not only did we have fun signage to highlight the session, but we also got mini rainbow sparkle cowboy hats to mark the occasion. We had a packed studio—with smiles and a great workout.
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
Remember your student experience. What made you stick around on campus? What drew you to your campus? While students may have different needs and expectations, remembering why we came to campus and why we stayed can help us find the “why” for our work. Even when it seems like Groundhog Day repeating the same semester year after year, seeing a student find a resource or program that gives them confidence and a community is the reason we show up.
Dalton Pfoff
Office of Student Conduct
Dalton is an assistant director in the Office of Student Conduct and has worked there for less than six months.
What drew you to this field?
During my undergraduate years, I had a very challenging professor named Bruce Holle. He was the type of professor who would take points off for the smallest errors and expected that you do the reading. However, with every lost point, there would be twice the amount of feedback and encouragement to learn from your mistakes. His work with students was inspirational, as anyone who ever took his courses would know. Thus, Dr. Holle inspired me to work with students to equip them with the skills to be successful.
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
We all have stories to tell about our experiences in higher education, some of which are funny, some make us angry, and others are sad. While all these stories are what we share at the dinner table with friends and family who don’t understand, the ones that stick with me are the small successes. It’s the student who may not remember my name or why they met with me but remembers what they learned from me. It’s the students who thank me for caring about their success and being kind. It’s the students who show that they learned something from their experiences and are better for it who keep me working in this field.
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
A prior supervisor told me once that when it comes to feedback, clarity is kindness. I live as an ever-improving professional and seek to challenge myself consistently. I am always willing to fail and learn from those mistakes. It may not feel comfortable to fail and take accountability, but it has propelled my career as a professional. I would also say that feedback should go both ways, and accountability is paramount to success.
Kellee Steffen
Residence Life
Kellee is a residence manager in Residence Life and has worked at IU for three years.
What drew you to this field?
From the time I started in student affairs as an RA in undergrad, I was drawn to helping people and being able to have a positive impact on the student and staff campus experience.
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
The moments that remind me why I love working in Student Life are often the hardest ones, working through challenges with a student or staff member who’s struggling, where it feels like every step forward is met with two steps back. But when we finally reach a resolution, and they take the time to share their appreciation or reflect on how much they’ve grown, it reinforces why I do this work. Seeing that development and knowing the effort made a difference, even in those delayed moments, is incredibly rewarding.
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
Do your research and explore as many parts of the field as you can before diving in. There’s so much variety in this field and talking to people in different areas helps you figure out what fits you best. Be open to hearing the good, the bad, and everything in between. I’d also say know your “why.” This work takes a lot of heart and resilience, so it helps to have a strong sense of purpose and to take care of yourself while you’re helping others grow.
Taylor Ray Cook
First Year and Family Experience Programs
Taylor is new to Student Life at IU—she’s worked for First Year and Family Experience Programs (FYFEP) for about three weeks. As an IU undergraduate student, though, she worked as a CommUNITY Educator.
What drew you to this field?
To quote one of my educator heroes, I believe that “every child deserves a champion.” I began my professional career in the kindergarten classroom, and my desire to support young people and their education led me to create meaningful and enjoyable experiences for college students. Crafting moments that bring joy and challenge young people to grow is a passion of mine, and the Office of Student Life and FYFEP provide me with the opportunity to do so.
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
I’ve always enjoyed working directly with students with bright futures who have found themselves struggling academically. One young man was in my office, and his positive energy let me know right away he would be a great fit for an upcoming leadership program. This student went from being on academic probation to becoming a student mentor, club president, and overall wonderful young person. He let me know that he would stop by my office every day to say hello. I’m glad he kept that promise.
When working in student life, we must be comfortable knowing that we often won’t see the flowers bloom from the seeds that we plant. When a student makes great strides while you work with them, it’s a true privilege to be able to witness that blossoming in real time.
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
Listen closely. Listen to what students need, want, hope for, dislike, what scares them, what motivates them. Use their feedback to inform your next steps. Lean into your creative energy. I firmly believe that we all are creative thinkers, but only if we allow ourselves to engage with our own creativity. Get creative because your students deserve it!
Nicky Belle
Student Involvement and Leadership Center
Nicky is associate director of the Student Involvement and Leadership Center and has worked at IU for 10 years.
What drew you to this field?
My first full-time role at IU was with the First Nations Educational and Cultural Center. I worked there as a graduate assistant for three years, and then for six and a half years as director. Toward the end of that time, I was working more with SILC and with the IMU. I found that the more I worked with everyone in a student affairs space, the more I became interested in broadening my scope from focusing on a particular area and population of students, to working in a place that worked to engage and support all students on campus. There is always a lot going on in the IMU, and I wanted to be closer to the action.
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
It happens every year, but the Student Involvement Fair is an ongoing reminder for me of what makes this office great! We are out at Showalter Fountain all day long, and everyone shows up to help, participate, and visit. Everyone talks with students, everyone carries tables, everyone picks up trash, everyone contributes to the success of this enormous event
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
Students benefit from collaborative efforts, so don’t try to do it alone or think that you should. Everyone is here to support each other.
Jamartae Jackson
First-Generation and Limited-Income Programs
Jamartae is director of First-Generation and Limited-Income Programs and has worked for IU for about nine months.
What drew you to this field?
It started back in college. I was an RA, and I had so much fun engaging with people and learning about different cultures that it was a natural fit for me. The funny thing is that I wanted no part of student affairs as a career. I had my mind set on business until one of my mentors encouraged me to go to grad school.
He saw something that I didn’t, but it made all the difference. It led me to so many experiences I’d never imagined possible. It has also allowed me to impact the lives of many. This field allows me to help first-gen, low-income students like me remain curious while maximizing the assets they bring into college instead of focusing on the so-called deficits. Now, 12 years later, here I am still standing, fighting, and creating opportunities for the next student.
What’s one specific moment or story in your career that exemplifies why you enjoy working in Student Life?
My favorite moment occurred when I worked for a scholarship program. I worked with this student who was first-gen, low-income, and he had a rough first semester. The assistant vice chancellor of student affairs at the time introduced me to the student, and we quickly hit it off. We spent many meetings getting him back on track. By his senior year, he was thriving.
Before he graduated, he came to my office and asked me to be the first person to sign his graduation cap. What’s even better is that he is now a student affairs professional and is doing an amazing job impacting lives. Every time I think about that moment, I tear up to this day. It’s a reminder that all the hard work is worth it.
What advice do you have for people thinking about working in this field?
I would tell people to stay true to themselves. My route has developed me and prepared me for this moment. No matter the journey, just be ready to push forward when it’s time to chase your impact in this field. On the flip side, when your time is up, realize that the bonds created have set the framework for success in the next field or endeavor. This field will work for you if you work for it.
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