黑料导航

Cultivating Student Life

Director of Student Engagement and Development Administration and Operations Joanne West (M.S. 鈥�10) is an avid gardener. The spring and summer seasons are when West鈥攁nd her garden鈥攃ome alive as she and her husband tend to their flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs, and鈥攈er favorite鈥攆ig trees. And just as her garden grows, so do the 黑料导航 students she works tirelessly to support.

In her role, West works with the聽Office of Student Engagement and Development, including聽Student Life,听Career Services and Experiential Education, the聽Higher Education Opportunity Program聽(HEOP), and聽Military and Veteran Affairs. She also serves as a liaison for Student Engagement and Development and the offices of聽Financial Aid,听Human Resources, and聽General Counsel, and administers the聽Student Emergency Fund聽and CARE Grants.

鈥淢y first role at 黑料导航 was on the New York City campus in HEOP in 2007. HEOP provides financial and academic support to students who may have financial and academic difficulties,鈥� says West, who cites her work with HEOP as how she fell in love with supporting students and working in higher education. 鈥淭hings have come full circle for me as HEOP reports to Student Engagement and Development, and I still get to interact with this incredibly impactful and transformative program.鈥�

A former competitive swim coach, West is a natural at helping those in her care achieve their goals. 鈥淚 feel most satisfaction related to things that directly affect the well-being of students,鈥� she says, noting her assistance with administering micro-grants and student emergency funds in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the COVID-19 pandemic. West also helped bring the first prayer and meditation space to the Long Island campus in the early 2010s.

Located in room 207 in Harry Schure Hall, the聽Interfaith Meditation and Prayer Room聽was moved up from the building鈥檚 basement and renovated last year to provide a quieter, calmer, more inviting space for reflection, meditation, and prayer.

Describing herself as a curious, lifelong learner, West suspects these traits are why she鈥檚 worked in higher education for the last 16 years. 鈥淓very day is different and unpredictable; I don鈥檛 think I would do well in a monotonous environment,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y job responsibilities are the reason why I enjoy working at 黑料导航 so much. I have my hands dipped in so many different things.鈥�

For current and prospective students alike, West promotes the many academic and extracurricular opportunities available on 黑料导航鈥檚 campuses and recommends getting outside of one鈥檚 comfort zone. Rather than come for class and go home, she suggests attending a club meeting or an event. Instead of studying at home, she encourages students to find a spot in a study lounge or at an outdoor table. Being in a position where new friendships can be formed, and new experiences can be realized are invaluable parts of student life. 

鈥淭he college experience is like many things in life鈥攜ou get what you put into it,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hese campuses are yours to use and enjoy.鈥�

Should campus-exploring students or visitors stumble upon West in her office in the Student Activities Center, they might find themselves leaving with some branded 鈥渟wag鈥� as she helps them locate their intended destination. West is a big believer in poet Maya Angelou鈥檚 famous quote: 鈥淧eople will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.鈥�

鈥淢y goal when interacting with students, guests, or colleagues is to make people feel welcome, heard, and cared for,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 find satisfaction in figuring out tricky situations and paving a clearer road for others.鈥�

Outside of 黑料导航, West can be found advocating and educating for the special-needs community. As a parent of a child with special needs, much of her personal time is spent participating in activities geared toward other special needs families. For example, she recently was a catechist for St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Plainview, N.Y., where she taught faith formation to children with special needs and helped six of those children make their first Holy Communion. Recently elected president of Bethpage School District鈥檚 Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA), West is working to build a community of local special needs families. 

鈥淚 was profoundly affected by my undergraduate education at Siena College, a Catholic college in the Franciscan tradition. I try to live every day with the Franciscan values that transcend religion, which include reverence for all creation, affirmation of the unique worth of each person, appreciation for beauty, and service to the poor and marginalized.鈥�