Student Affairs Team Spotlight — Student Engagement Center (SEC)
Department Name: Student Engagement Center (SEC)
Director: Jordan Brandt
Associate Director: Sarah Grabber, Associate Director for Student Leadership Programs; Haylie Lancaster, Associate Director for Impact Programs and Services; and Cierra Roberson, Associate Director for Student Community Programs
Number of Staff: 22
Department Website: studentengagement.ku.edu
Q. Do you have student staff? How do they support your department’s work or mission?
A. Yes, we have 12 undergraduate staff members and four graduate student staff members. All of our student staff contribute to the mission of the Student Engagement Center by providing direct support to students through hosting 1:1 consultations to assist students in creating student organizations and/or getting connected to already existing student organizations; hosting social events for all students to participate in; [and] overseeing the daily operations of the Campus Cupboard by creating weekly recipe cards, completing inventory, and assisting students, staff, [and] faculty in receiving [needed] items. Additionally, our students meet with prospective students and their families during weekly visit days to inform them of opportunities within the office and student life more broadly, while also overseeing the building spaces in the evenings to offer students a space to gather with their peers.
Q. What does your department do?
A. The Student Engagement Center provides dynamic opportunities and resources through student organization experiences, impact programs, community programming, leadership development, and employment. We provide transformative experiences to foster lifelong skills and meaningful connections.
Q. What are your department’s programs, signature events, and/or services?
A. While we are still fine tuning our signature events, some of our larger programs include SEC Reach Week, where the goal is to connect students with our team, opportunities and resources that exist within the SEC and to one another. Our monthly graduate student dinners that provide a non-academic space for students to connect across academic disciplines, and our yearly graduation celebration. Additionally, we host food and clothing drives monthly to support our basic needs programs including the Campus Cupboard, Community Clothing Closet and Pregnant and Parenting Resource Pantry.
Q. How does your department make learning possible?
A. By providing holistic support that assists students’ transition from being involved (passive) to being an engaged member of the campus community.
Q. What department successes or achievements are you most proud of?
A. I am most proud to have a team that has leaned into supporting one another on our quest to reimagine what student engagement looks like in the current moment and in the future. More "tangible" successes have included: opening the Pregnant and Parenting Resource Pantry for weekly drop-in hours; expanding our food options in the Campus Cupboard; obtaining a $10,000 donation from Dillions to support the Campus Cupboard; hiring an [associate director] to oversee leadership programs for students; restructuring the student organization registration process; [implementing] in-person student organization advisor luncheons and meetings; [implementing] 1:1 student consultations; [hosting successful] monthly graduate student dinners; and [supporting full-time and graduate student team members’ presentations] at a national conference (NASPA).