SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 40
played me in Uno and beat me 6-2. From there, we decided to meet every Friday at 4 pm after her classes to
play Mario Kart.
During those weekly meetings, I learned more about Kelly, where she is from, and what she desires to do.
She shared how hard classes were and even shared when she and her boyfriend broke up. I got to know Kelly
better than most residents, not because I only wanted to know her but because I provided her the opportunity
to connect intentionally, and she took me up on my offer. The depth of our connection depended on how
much she wanted to share with me during our time together.
As the summer approached, she told me she needed a job and didn't know what to do. I encouraged her to
apply to be an LSU Tour Guide, and I wouldn't mind being a reference for her because I knew she was a great
person and would do well. She applied and got the job! When the move-out day came, students had parents
and guardians who came to pick them up and help them move. This wasn't the experience Kelly had. She had
no one to help her move to her summer housing assignment. I told her I wouldn't mind helping.
While helping her to push her things from one building to another, it started to rain, and she began to cry. I
asked her why she was crying, and she said, " I am so overwhelmed! " I told her I completely understood and
reassured her that I was there to help and that everything would be okay. She wiped her tears away and said,
" Thank you for being here. " At that moment, I was reminded why I am in higher education! That is to impact
the life of one student. Our work is full of administrative tasks, which makes it hard to pause and connect with
students. However, if we truly desire to continue to be effective in higher education, we must keep students at
the center of our work.
Some may ask how I manage to build intentional relationships with residents alongside my other duties. The
answer is I make time for it. I sometimes stay late in the office or come in earlier. If I see an opportunity to
connect with a student intentionally, I find time in my schedule for it. I willingly do this, even though it's more
work; I am willing to do it because intentionally helping students add meaning to my work. It is the fuel that
keeps me going every day.
I want to remind you that your work matters because sometimes it is easy to forget. I also want to encourage
you to seek someone who needs support if you feel like you are losing meaning in the work you do. I used
to wait for students to come to me by having an open-door policy, but now not only do I have an open-door
policy, but I come out of my office, and I do my best to interact with EVERY STUDENT in my building. This
can be tiring, but the desire to do meaningful work and build meaningful connections is what makes my job
fulfilling.
If there is one thing I want you to take from this article, it is this: give every resident a chance. You can never
pick the right student to invest your time in or find someone who will appreciate your sacrifice. A farmer may
plant many seeds, but they do that because they don't know which one will grow or wither away. Even so, I
desire to connect with every resident and impact one person's life. Going into this new academic year, I hope
that will also be the motivation behind your work.
As higher education professionals, we must recommit every day, every week, and every month to the cause
that caused us to seek a career in higher education-my colleagues and friends; that is my goal every year-
to impact one student's life. I encourage you to take a moment and think about how you have done this in
years past and how you can continue to do it again in your own way. Students don't need more processes and
structure; they need someone willing to be there with them through the process.
Reference
Bonvillain, W. B., & Sarma, S. E. (2021). Workforce education: A new roadmap. Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Press.
40
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Summer 2024
Contents
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 1
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - Contents
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 3
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 4
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 5
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 6
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 7
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 8
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 9
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 10
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 11
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 12
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 13
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 14
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 15
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 16
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 17
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 18
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 19
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 20
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 21
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 22
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 23
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 24
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 25
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 26
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 27
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 28
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 29
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 30
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 31
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 32
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 33
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 34
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 35
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 36
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 37
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 38
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 39
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 40
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 41
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 42
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 43
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 44
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 45
SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 46
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020holiday
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2017summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2017winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2014spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2014winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/50thanniversary
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2012fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2012summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2012winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/spring2011
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com