LEAP Office welcomes new director Shauna Young

feature 1, Issue 17, Katie Jenkins-Moses, LEAP Office welcomes new director Shauna Young, News, News - By Katie Jenkins-Moses on Thursday, February 9, 2012 - 03:25

“Within the month that I have been here so far, I have seen that I have made the right choice,” new Director of Leadership Experience and Programs Office (LEAP) Shauna Young said about her decision to join the Whittier College community in January 2012. Although holding the position for less just over a month, her impact has already been felt.

Young replaced former Director of LEAP Rick Clark who had accepted a position at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in 2011. Although his departure was announced over the summer, Clark did not officially leave Whittier until Sept. 23 after holding the position since Sept. 1, 2008.

When arriving at Whittier, Young saw an opportunity to enhance what LEAP already offered. “I see this office as the hub of what’s happening here on campus, in terms of leadership experiences, as well as leadership programming,” Young said. “There is a lot that is happening already that we can harness and get the word out. We are not just adding but we are enhancing quality. I saw myself in this place to enhance what is already here.”

Since coming to Whittier, Young has been building relationships with both individuals and organizations on campus, listening to what they believe is working and what needs to change.
Young has also been preparing for the possible departure of Interim Assistant Director of LEAP Glen Peterson, who will be leaving at the end of the year, by preparing for a national search and what qualities the replacement would need to have.

Additionally, Young has been learning and gathering information about the campus. “We have been finding out what it is the students need and trying to see what’s the best way to fit this need with what is already here,” Young said. “We are finding our places where we might be missing our audiences—the first-years, transfers and commuters—and are really trying to get them engaged and know what we are doing.”

One of the upcoming events that Young has helped plan and is very excited about is the “Campus Center Block Party,” which will be on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. This event will have all of the offices in the Campus Center collaborating with each other both by being open and helping to put on the event. The event will hold both a self-guided tour of the offices in the Campus Center and an activities fair, which will be held in the courtyard. When students complete the self-guided tour they will have the ability to be placed in a raffle to win prizes. Dinner will also be served on the lawn, and students who do not have a meal plan will be able to use meal vouchers.

Many administrators are pleased with the ideas that Young is bringing to LEAP. “Shauna brings a fresh new vision for LEAP with a variety of new and interesting ideas from programming to helping students achieve their goals,” Peterson said.

Students who work with Young also feel the same. “She’s great,” Associated Students of Whittier College President Duncan Ketel said. “She’s very willful and energetic and willing to listen and provide assistance to students. Shauna has made our experience on Senate more fulfilling.”

Prior to coming to Whittier, Young held the position of Assistant Director of Residential Life and then Interim Director of Residential Life in the Housing and Greek Life office at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. In these positions, Young oversaw 2,200 students that lived on campus in both the residence halls and apartments. She was responsible for training her staff of over 70 people, overseeing the budgets, collaborating with the Office of Judicial Affairs, along with many other responsibilities.

Young had been at University of the Pacific since 2007 before moving to Whittier. Young has also held the position of Area Coordinator. In addition to the positions that Young held at the University of the Pacific, she also worked at Pomona College in student activities and Chapman University in residential life.

There were a number of things that originally drew Young to consider coming to Whittier.
“The students at Whittier were a big pull, and at my time in my on-campus interview I felt the energy and the faculty and staff that I met were really passionate about the work that they did,” Young said. “Prior to actually visiting the College, some of the things that attracted me were the diversity of the campus and getting a chance to work with and help develop students into leaders.” Young is originally from Barbados and grew up in New York City. Graduating from Bucknell University in 2001, Young was an Economics major and Dance minor. In between this and earning her Master’s degree in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific in 2005, Young worked in the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival doing video production for two years.
Currently, Young is working on her doctorate in Higher Education and Leadership from the Gladys L. Benerd School of Education at University of the Pacific.

While Young’s tenure at Whittier has been short, those who worked with her felt the impact she has already made. Many at Whittier College are excited to see what her lasting effect will be to the campus.