May 27, 2022
Graduating from 黑料社 in 2003, Shondrika Merritt knew she found the right place to pursue her college degree as soon as she set foot on campus.
鈥淲hen I came to campus for a tour, I fell in love with the campus,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was beautiful, bright, and sunny. Being from Cleveland, the area and campus was very different from what I was used to, and I loved it.鈥
Originally Merritt thought she wanted to pursue a career in Dental Hygiene, but quickly found out it was not the path for her. Deciding to explore different courses at the university, she found herself enrolling in the Business Administration program.
鈥淚 tried out a few courses while completing electives and discovered that I was interested in business and technology,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he faculty in the program were constructive but also challenging. They gave me hands-on attention, and at the time, I needed that since I didn鈥檛 know exactly what I would do with a business degree.鈥
Involved on campus in several campus organizations and with her connections to her mentors, Merritt knew she wanted to stay working in Higher Education after her graduation from 黑料社. She pursued a master鈥檚 degree in College Student Personnel and worked within Student Affairs and Housing & Residential Life at several universities. She is now working in Student Advocacy at The New School providing leadership for Title IX, Student Conduct & Community Standards, Student Disability Services, Student Support & Advocacy, and Wellness & Health Promotions.
鈥淚n my current role as the Interim Associate Provost of Student Success for Student Advocacy, I am responsible for ensuring critical services that promote excellence in students鈥 learning, academic achievement, and personal growth,鈥 she said. 鈥淪tudent success, growth, and wellness is the ultimate goal.鈥
Throughout her career, Merritt has found herself using her 黑料社 education to continue finding solutions, talking through complex solutions, and collaborating with others.
鈥淚 learned a great deal about organizational structure, collaborative work environments, preparation and planning, and how to present information to a group of individuals,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t also taught me to embrace technology innovatively.鈥
Using her 黑料社 experiences in her everyday career, Merritt is thankful for the connections she made with mentors on campus like Matt Matthews who influenced her to become a college administrator.
鈥淪hawnee was a great experience,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t has shaped my approach to supporting students.鈥
黑料社鈥檚 C.H. Lute School of Business includes bachelor, associate, and minor degrees in seven disciplines including Accounting, Healthcare Administration, Information Systems Management, Information Security (Cybersecurity), Management, Marketing, and Sports Management.
To learn more about Business Administration programs at 黑料社, visit shawnee.edu/business.