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Students have multiple opportunities to get involved and find their pack on campus, whether that be by joining a club or organization, checking out events through SBEngaged, or reading about them in our biweekly newsletter, Campus Connect.
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Ric McClendon sat down with us to give us the ins and outs of the Office of Student Life.
What does the Office of Student Life do for our Seawolves?
Dean Ric McClendon: The Office of Student Life consists of about eight different departments. Our focus is on co-curricular experiences, out-of-the-classroom experiences, supporting students, and building skills that align with their educational purpose, mission, and values.
We have over 400 clubs and organizations for students to join and find a community, make friends, build a network, and participate in activities that interest them. We also do a lot of identity and cultural development for students so they can not only discover themselves but also learn about other cultures that are different than their own.
Student Life also offers students opportunities for employment. We offer a lot of jobs throughout campus where students plan programs and activities, where students mentor students coming into Stony Brook, we have jobs where students get to articulate global issues and help students learn about those global issues.
We do a variety of things within the Office of Student Life, but it's all about finding space and a sense of belonging here at Stony Brook.
You, as the Dean of Students, are very active around campus. Why is creating a vibrant student life important for our Seawolf Families and their students?
Whether you're a first-generation student or you are a student who's entering a legacy role, the Dean of Students and the team within Student Life, helps you navigate college; we’re someone who can answer those questions that you're too afraid to ask in a public setting. We are here to offer you support.
‘When life gets tough and I don't know where to turn, how do I turn to someone who can guide me and support me?’ Student Life is the one when you have those great ideas and you're excited, maybe you're looking to get more support for your club through partnerships or you just have a dream and want to turn it into a reality, that’s what we’re all about. So being present allows students to not only see me in spaces and places and things that other students have developed with ideas and programs but also let them know that we're here to support you.
We're not just folks who are here nine to five. We are here when students are here. So I attend a lot of campus activities and programs because students put so much energy into these ideas. We want to be there to celebrate those accomplishments and those milestones.
If a student is struggling or feeling overwhelmed about finding their place here on campus, what advice would you give to them?
I would always say, start with your peers. Your peers have already walked that path, been there, done that. So sometimes having another peer to talk those things through, to give you good advice is always the first step. When you feel like you don't have the right answer from that peer, always come to the Student Support Team. They're a group of professionals. They've got their hands in everybody's area. So I always tell students, always ask for help and seek out the Student Support Team, seek out your RA, your peer mentors, seek out your student instructors within the classroom, because someone's going to have that answer or they're going to know where to point you in that right direction.
What advice would you give to our parents who want to encourage their students to get involved and find their pack?
I always tell parents that we want them to be the coach in this process, to be the cheerleader in this process, to put their students in the driver's seat to be able to navigate the college playing field, but also to advocate for themselves. If we teach them these skill sets, they will be able to thrive in the workplace. They'll be able to thrive in any communities that they're going to be a part of after leaving home. And so a parent or family member is there to say, you can do this. You can tackle that roommate issue. You can tackle making new friends. You can tackle that assignment in class. You can tackle what's happening on the job. Because if they allow students to do it themselves, they build a skill set.
To learn more about the Office of Student Life click here.
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