EACE 2024 Board of Directors Elections
Director, Career Growth Candidate
Shannon Zelek Director of Career Connections Merrimack College
1. Describe your interest in serving on the EACE Board in this capacity.
My journey with EACE has been transformative, helping shape my identity in higher education beyond my institution. Since 2019, I've actively engaged in various committees, learning from organizational leaders and now aspire to contribute my skills to our organization in a new capacity. This opportunity matches my values and experiences, allowing me to further enhance the organization's mission and strategic priorities. Serving on the Board would not only deepen my involvement as a dedicated member but also expose me to high-level decision-making, budgeting, and collaboration with leaders. I strongly believe the work of the Director of Career Growth can positively impact each member within our organization. Learning from mentors and peers, I am eager to tackle the challenges our profession faces through unique and impactful opportunities.
2. What skills and experiences do you possess that have prepared you to be successful in this role?
In EACE, I've served on various Annual Conference sub-committees and the Connections Committee. As the co-chair for the 2022-2023 Conference Experience sub-committee, I earned a Presidential Citation and now serve as one of the Annual Conference Co-Chairs for 2023-2024. Eager to expand my involvement, I participated in the Board Shadow program last year and I'm enthusiastic about the potential of joining the Board of Directors. My committee involvement spans EACE, including working with HQ, Annual Conference, Diversity & Inclusion, and Connections, fostering connections between committees and members. I've presented at multiple EACE Annual Conferences, sharing new tools and strategies for success. At my institution, I identify areas for team training, ensuring participation in relevant, ongoing career development training from national colleagues. In my role as a facilitator and advisor to sorority alumnae and collegiate members, I identify training opportunities, staying updated on technological advancements to enhance advisor support and improve our membership experience.
3. What ideas and/or goals do you have for this position?
Career Growth plays a vital role in delivering substantial value to each member within our organization. In this capacity, it is crucial to gather member input on desired offerings, preferred engagement methods to support us in finding feasible long-term solutions to meeting our members where they are at. Collaboration with fellow Board members with guidance from our strategic plan is essential to bring these ideas to fruition.1) Expand our webinar offerings throughout the year - creating a list of interested members or organizations we can partner with to provide ongoing career growth opportunities for our members. This will ensure consistency across fiscal years when committees experience turnover. We can strategically partner with the Programming Committee to identify potential presenters from the Annual Conference submission process. 2) Foster conducive spaces for opportunities to share best practices and industry trends to benefit different sectors of our membership, virtually or in person. This could result in additional blogs, webinars, conference sessions, or opportunities for publishing the work of our members. 3) Elevate our Mentorship meet-ups beyond the Annual Conference, utilizing virtual avenues to create space for mentorship as an area of growth. This work involves partnering with various EACE Committees, regional associations, and individual members. Members serve as both educators and mentors for one another, and it is our responsibility to meet the diverse needs of all members. We will have a continuous focus on assessing program effectiveness for future planning.
4. EACE History
Years as member: 6 years
EACE Service History: Annual Conference Co-Chair 23-24
Conference Experience Sub-Committee Co-Chair 22-23
Programming Sub-Committee 20-22
Newcomer & Hospitality Sub-Committee 19-20
Connections Committee 19-20
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