This week’s Campus Celebrity is Doreen Floyd. She is Bentley University’s Associate Dean of Student Affairs. You might also see her sharing her vast knowledge and skills in the classroom instructing GB 215. Check out below to learn more about her huge role here at Bentley University!
Her Campus Bentley: What is your position at Bentley, and how long have you been working here?
Doreen Floyd: My title is Associate Dean, Student Affairs—which may seem fairly open ended. When asked to describe my job, I typically reply that I see it as ‘being charged with the creation of an engaging student life area and facilitating ways to help students be successful’. I certainly do not do this work by myself, I have a great team that works incredibly hard and loves what they do. We are also fortunate to have a visionary and committed Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs who is passionate about our students—it really does make a difference to have good leadership at the top!
HCB: Where did you go to college? What was your degree?
DF: I received my undergraduate degree from Bridgewater State College –a BA in Communications with a concentration in Speech. I went on to graduate school at UMASS/Amherst, where I received an assistantship in the Student Activities Office and graduated with an M.Ed with a concentration in Higher Education Research, Policy, and Administration.
HCB: What is your favorite part of your job?
DF: This is a toss-up—I love the students at Bentley and get most excited when I get to know them or work with them on an individual level. Each student here has an amazing story and I love learning about those experiences. When I feel that I have helped someone manage a challenging situation a little more effectively, I admit I get pretty pumped! On the other hand, the staff and faculty at Bentley are incredible —the commitment to their work and our students is terrific—it really makes coming to work every day exciting and rewarding. You can’t work at a place for this long and not love the people you work with and the work that you do!
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HCB: What has been your most memorable experience at Bentley thus far?
DF: Too many to name really, but a few recent things come to mind—last January I accompanied 13 students and 2 faculty members on a short term trip to Ghana, the connections we made, the people we met and the entire experience was life changing—all in a way I never could have imagined. A few other recent things stand out—a few years ago several staff members across the division created a movement to reduce alcohol consumption among moderate drinkers and get students to think about their drinking (if they chose to use alcohol). The OneLess program has been and continues to be incredibly successful—it is an easy program for students to engage with as it centers around making better choices—drinking one less drink or drinking one less night during the week. The results have been impressive—in fact the program was recently awarded the Gold Excellence Award by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Another memorable experience was the ability of SGA to offer a spring break shuttle to Logan Airport last year—it was a bit chaotic as a major snowstorm hit that day, but the energy and effort that SGA put forth was exhilarating to watch! Finally, as most students know, the university is planning a renovation/expansion to the Student Center this May. I have had the good fortune to be part of the team working with this project. Being able to influence the direction vision for this new facility has been absolutely incredible, and students are going to love it!
HCB: What advice do you have for Bentley students?
DF: Oh my gosh—a couple of things:
· Be open to new experiences and opportunities—put yourself in new situations if you ever want to grow. This may mean sitting next to someone in class you do not know, it may mean striking up a friendship with someone who lives in a different part of the world or country than you do and really getting to know them, or joining a club that you are interested in but do not know anyone in the group. If you seek out people who are different than yourself, not only will you obtain new perspectives, you will be better prepared to navigate those unexpected challenges that arise later in life. You never stop learning and being receptive to new opportunities is so empowering and exciting!
· Get involved in something—join a hundred clubs, but get really, really involved in something, at least one thing. Figure out what you are passionate about and work to deepen your knowledge or push to make something you care about happen. People will pick up on your passion and enthusiasm because it’ contagious…..and it makes everything much more exciting!
· Get to know your professors and staff you work with—understand that people who choose to work at Bentley do so because they really like students! There is more to them than the jobs they do or the subject matter they teach—you may find you share a similar connection in music or activity, book, favorite food or movie. Once you discover the person it makes future interactions much more meaningful. I know for me, when I get to know students beyond the surface, whether in a group I am advising, a meeting that I am having, or a class I am teaching; everything becomes richer and more meaningful—conversations develop texture and the work is more enjoyable. It’s what keeps me and most of my colleagues going on a daily basis!