Talking Stick - March/April 2015 - 68

SNAPSHOT

NEUDY NUñEz
What's the biggest issue for the students on your campus right now?
College readiness and academic preparedness.

What's the biggest issue you see facing the profession right now?
Balancing a student-centered approach with the demands of retention and
institutional politics.

What makes your campus unique?
Our diverse student body is representative of local, out-of-state, international,
and distance learning students that all together provide a dynamic
opportunity for growth and learning.

What are your favorite campus traditions?
In collaboration with student engagement and enrollment services, Old
Dominion University's Housing & Residence Life hosts an annual out-of-state
student social at the beginning of each fall semester. The event connects ODU
faculty and staff to out-of-state students by matching them by their home states.
We all come together for a nice dinner and a sharing of stories and ideas.

What are the most unusual housing or amenity requests you have
received?
I am surprised at how often parents inquire about personalized cleaning and
laundry services.

NEUdy NUñEZ is the
assistant director for
academic initiatives at Old
Dominion University in
Norfolk, Virginia.
What do you think will be
the most significant change in
student housing in the next five
years?
I expect that the collaborations
between academic affairs and
residence life/student housing
will continue to increase and
expand. I anticipate that more
programs will be designed with
a focus on academic success
and opportunities for faculty to
live in and teach in our halls.
I believe that this significant
change is the consequence of
the realization that students no
longer compartmentalize their
lives. Instead, they truly see their
residence hall as an integrated
part of their academic life and
their campus involvement.
68

TALkIng STICk

What is your favorite move-in story?
Not a story but a huge perk about move-in at ODU is that we have these
fun photo booths available for new students and their families. They get to
dress up and jump in to take pictures, creating long-lasting memories. During
move-in breaks, I like to take turns jumping in the booth with the RAs for a
fun way to create our own memories as a staff.

What is your favorite parent story?
This past fall during move-in I got to reconnect with a Latino family from
North Carolina that I had helped with translation of documents and overall
guidance at the university during Admitted Students' Day last spring.
Several months later at move-in, the parents were so happy to see me and
remembered my name. They explained that they felt grateful that their son
would have the support of a fellow Latina and that they felt confident in their
son's upcoming successes as an ODU Monarch.

What motivates you the most in your job?
Student success. As the assistant director for academic initiatives, I am
charged with supporting and ensuring the academic success of our
residential students. My job provides me the opportunity to have meaningful
conversations with students about goals, fears, hopes, and aspirations.
Seeing the light bulb light up during a conversation and then seeing them
succeed, having them follow up with me with a higher GPA or an invitation to
graduation, is truly a special privilege.
Talking Stick - March/April 2015

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