Dr. Dawn F. Norris, Executive Director for Student Involvement, reflects on her career in student affairs.
Dr. Dawn F. Norris is the Executive Director for Student Involvement with responsibility for student organizations and involvement, fraternity and sorority life, and the Hughes-Trigg Student Center. She advises the SMU Student Senate and is an Adjunct Clinical Lecturer in the Simmons School of Education. Dawn received her undergraduate degree in business administration cum laude from Centenary College of Louisiana, her master’s degree in college student personnel from the University of Dayton, and her doctorate in higher education policy and leadership from SMU. Previous positions include work with residence life, multicultural student affairs, community engagement and leadership, development and external affairs event planning, conference planning, human resources functions, and budgeting within business and finance. Dr. Norris received the “M” Award – the highest honor bestowed on a Mustang, and the President’s Award for Outstanding Leadership.
What made you pursue the work you currently do, and was that always the plan?
Absolutely not – no one dresses up as a student affairs professional for Halloween – I didn’t even know that was a job! My undergrad degree was in business, and I started my career in higher education finance. My alma mater asked me to come back as a part-time hall director three years out, and as a newly married, semi-broke young professional, I jumped at the chance to live on campus for free. That work led me to determine while I was right about higher ed, I was wrong about finance. I quit my two jobs, went back to school full-time to get my master’s degree, and a career was born. I later spent a year in development, further reinforcing that working with college students is my calling.
That work led me to determine while I was right about higher ed, I was wrong about finance. I quit my two jobs, went back to school full-time to get my master’s degree, and a career was born.
In what ways does your role look similar or different to its historical roots? In other words, how has your role on college campuses evolved over time?
Student organizations and activities have always been part of the college student experience. Over time, support for and advisement of these activities has professionalized and grown more complex. Campus leaders expect more oversight than they once did, and while advisors were once exclusively faculty, those roles are now predominately managed by professional staff, often in student activities.
What are the most important competencies someone needs to develop to be successful in your role?
Student activities and organization folks need to seek out opportunities during their graduate preparation to learn about the operations side of our work: budget, risk management, facilities operation, etc. Many of us choose this work because of our relationships with students. While often the most fulfilling part of our roles, we best serve our students when we develop expertise in the university systems that support their (and our) efforts.
Do you have any final thoughts for someone considering your role in the future?
I love my job in student affairs and have experienced such personal fulfillment in my career. Now that I have a college student of my own, I’m comforted knowing there is a whole team of student affairs professionals on her campus working to support her and create a robust extracurricular experience where she’ll make friends and memories.