based enrollment ( recruitment and retention ) remains critical to our success as a university , yet major shifts in the FAFSA make interpreting prospective student behavior challenging . It is certainly a demanding time to be in SEES , and I am grateful for all that you do day-in and day-out to get , keep , and graduate Monarchs !
At the recent Monarchs Leadership Conference , I had the privilege to present with Claire Belesimo , student chair of the Student Engagement & Enrollment Services Student Leadership Council . A student attendee at our session , Britney , expressed a desire for a comprehensive list of student events versus the list of student organizations currently available . She was eager to become engaged on campus but wasn ’ t always sure how to do so . This was a good reminder that we must adapt our approach to help students overcome things like social anxiety , othered-ness or introversion . Her feedback reinforced the importance of creating environments where students are continually invited to belong so they can learn and thrive . We owe our students an experience where they will be seen , heard , supported , and celebrated for all they accomplish . I am grateful to all who are serving on various university committees and workgroups , particularly those involved with the efforts mentioned earlier , as well as the SEES divisional committees . I am confident these initiatives , informed by your insights and work with our students will make ODU a stronger community .
Brandi Hephner LaBanc
Vice President for Student Engagement & Enrollment Services