Speaker: Dei Allard, Executive Director, Housing & Residence Life
What led you to pursue a career in Student Affairs?
Dei Allard: What led me to pursue a career in student affairs is having the opportunity to work with all kinds of students, especially those like myself who were struggling at some point in the other uh to be successful in um a new institution in a new environment. I was first generation college student. Psychology is where I wanted to be, but I knew that I didn't want the traditional therapy sessions. And so helping others um in day-to-day troubles — that's where I landed and why I chose this profession.
What is the most rewarding part of the work you do?
Dei Allard: The most rewarding part of the work I get to do is seeing the growth and development in students and staff members and even in myself. And so seeing the person actually achieve something they thought was impossible for them. At one point in time has been the rewarding part.
Is there a quote you can share that is especially meaningful to you as it relates to your work?
Dei Allard: The quote I want to share is not so much a quote but about the story of the Starfish and it's about making a difference to one. And so that's what I want to leave with you is the Starfish story.
If you could give a piece of advice to someone who was newly entering a career in student affairs, what would it be?
Dei Allard: One piece of advice I would give to a new student affairs professional is to recognize that it's a learning process. Everything we do, we have the opportunity to learn and grow from. Sometimes we'll make mistakes. Uh Sometimes it's um that learning process that the next time we do it or have an interaction with that student, we could even make it better uh for them and for others. So.
