ISSUED: 18 January 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University is one of 18 colleges and universities on the 2017 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs list. This is the third time in four years that Shepherd has made the list, which examines the administrative structures, commitment to diversity, and workplace or staffing practices of the student affairs department through a study conducted by the Center for Higher Education Enterprise at the Ohio State University in partnership with the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) member institutions.
“We are among a group of outstanding institutions and it’s good to know we are in good company,” said Dr. Tom Segar, vice president for student affairs. “It’s a pretty big deal. I’m excited.”
Segar said Shepherd filled out a survey that required a lot of data, and three to five staff members were interviewed. Segar thinks Shepherd made the top 18 list for a variety of reasons.
“I think we’re a family friendly place,” he said. “I think it reflects our commitment to diversity and social justice in terms of who we have on our staff, how we program, and what we value.”
Segar said this acknowledgment shows Shepherd is consistent in the professional development offered to staff and places an emphasis on diversity in both staff and programming. He said this adds up to offering a better and more personal experience for each student.
“It reflects our care for students and it shows that the work we do ultimately helps them,” Segar said. “We are working to serve them so they are in the best place possible to learn and grow and get a world class education.”
Shepherd has 64 full-time and 28 part-time employees in student affairs serving about 3,800 students. The official results from the 2017 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs will be shared in the Thursday, March 23, edition of “Diverse” magazine. Shepherd, along with the other 17 institutions, will be acknowledged at the 2017 ACPA convention March 26-29 in Columbus, Ohio.
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