Stevenson University has welcomed a new member into the Student Activities family.
Jenna D’Onza, started working at Stevenson on Oct. 24 after serving as a community director at University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) for roughly four years. D’Onza will primarily be working with Mustang Activities and Programming (MAP) and marketing for the department. However, because of the recent vacancies within the office, she says she is “ready to jump in and help wherever needed!”
The position at Stevenson attracted D’Onza because it reminded her of her own undergraduate and graduate institutions. D’Onza began participating in student government as a sophomore and continued to be more involved in student activities during her undergraduate experience.
She received a Master’s degree in College Student Personnel Administration at Canisius College and was an assistant in the Campus Programming and Leadership Development Office where she advised the student government and helped facilitate events. She loved being involved and “knew that a job in student activities would be perfect.”
Stevenson is the right fit for her, and she hopes to continue advising students in developing their leadership skills, as well as plan exciting events for students to better enjoy their college experience.“You are not only building skills that you can add to your resume and that can help you in life after graduation, but you are also building connections with people that will help you establish your professional network,” D’Onza explained.
IMPACT
D’Onza believes in the importance of becoming involved on campus, outside of the classroom. Campus activities help students to develop into well-rounded individuals who understand the importance of balancing multiple priorities, she added. Student leadership enables young adults to build confidence and improve time management and relationship building skills.
D’Onza explained that the students who take initiative to hold leadership positions during college will be prepared for the professional “real-world” settings that follow graduation. However, being a member of a student activities team does not just mean all work; it also helps “facilitate fun and learning,” she said.
Joseph Byrd, a sophomore program director for MAP, said D’Onza is a good choice to fill Miller’s shoes. With her positive attitude and support for student leadership, Byrd believes she is a great fit for the student activities program at Stevenson. “Yes, she is new, and it will take time for the department to adjust and catch Jenna up to speed,” he said, “but in the end, it will be worth it.”
