By Angela Vines
A Hood College student life staff member was chosen for the director of student engagement and orientation position over six other national applicants.
Gretchen Nonemaker, previously assistant director, was promoted earlier this year to director of student engagement and orientation. Nonemaker received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in social work from Elizabethtown College and a master’s degree in counseling/college student personnel from Shippensburg University. She has worked as a student affairs professional at five other colleges and universities.
After the resignation of Don Miller, Nonemaker acted as interim director for six months while Hood College preformed a nationwide search for an official replacement, from which she was ultimately chosen.
Hood decided to perform the search in order to ensure they had the best possible person for the position, however Nonemaker was encouraged to apply. She said: “It was an interesting process. My application was just like everyone else’s. It made me not take the job for granted.” She recalls having a phone interview with her colleague who was just in his office across campus.
Maya Gonzalez, a senior at Hood, works closely with Nonemaker as an orientation coordinator, the campus activities board series events chair, and the president of class of 2016 counsel. Gonzalez said: “Gretchen did the job for six months with no plan. She was capable. The process could have been much simpler if Hood had just promoted internally.”
Nonemaker said her main goal in her new position is to “make sure students have a say.” She says that this is their college experience and they should not just be engaged in the process, but should take full ownership of it. She wants students to do things because they want to, not just because that’s what has always been done. Nonemaker says: “Students should have ownership of their time and their college experience.”
Another main goal she has in this position is to transition to an environment of transparency, especially in regards to the “reality of the budget,” which has been a major issue in the past in regards to student organizations.
Gonzalez says she sees Nonemaker workings towards her goals. She personally has felt more in charge and responsible for her programs, organizations, and events, but enjoy having a “safety net” of a professional staff member as a mentor who is there to help. Gonzalez says; “I think it is going to be one of the best things to happen to this school this year. Letting student leaders be student leaders.”
Nonemaker is happy in her new position. It has given her the opportunity to be a “larger guiding force” in student engagement. She now has a more active administrative role, which has been great. However, it has been a learning curve with not having as much student organization contact. She said she “does not want to lose sight of the fact that she is here for the students.”
Nonemaker differs from the previous position holder because she believes they should do more than just play a part in things. She says, “Students should take ownership of their organizations and programs, even if they fail. Things will succeed because of their efforts.” Nonemaker wants students to have a say in how things are done.
Nonemaker’s predecessor Don Miller resigned late last year and is now director of orientation at Wright University in Dayton, Ohio.
Gonzalez says that Nonemaker is much more organized than the previous position holder and has an “open-door policy” which makes her easier to communicate with. She notes that things have been running noticeably smoother since Nonemaker took over the position.
Gonzalez is excited to see what Nonemaker does with the position the rest of this year and in years to come. She says; “She’s doing great. The positions was made for her. She really wants to help students and all the changed have been for the better.”
She believes that the whole college experience it incredibly important. She makes it clear that the reason she got into student engagement work is because fun things outside the classroom are a big part of maintaining a good balance and she wants to help promote that. “I try to be a good example of a good life-work balance for my staff and my students.”
Gretchen Nonemaker wants to encourage students to share with her how they feel. She says: “We want to know what’s good and what’s not good, what’s working and not. Let us know so that we can change things for the better and so that we can advise better. Let’s work together to make things better.” She encourages all students to come and speak with her if they have ideas. She wants to see organizations and programs move forward, grow and succeed.
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