Hello everyone! I’m back again with another interview and this time I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Dee Siscoe, the Vice President of Student Affairs here at Missouri State. For those of you who missed the first couple of interviews, this series is titled “Back to the Future” because I will be talking with university staff about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their life, but also what they are looking forward to as we approach our so-called normal or new normal.
My hope with this series is to share how the pandemic has affected all our lives, but also how it has helped us grow! If we look hard enough, there are always at least a few positives that come out of every situation.
Dr. Siscoe is one of the kindest people I have met! She always shows that she genuinely cares about others and gives amazing insight to help students reach their full potential. Dr. Siscoe embodies the mission of Student Affairs in every aspect that you could think. She always leaves me with a smile on my face and with the feeling that I am capable of anything I set my mind to.
As you read this interview, you will definitely see what I’m talking about! I am going to leave these interviews in a Q/A format so you can feel like you were there with us! Let’s get this started!
Q: What makes a good leader? A: There are several different qualities that make a good leader, and they are centered around communication skills! A good leader must be able to cultivate meaningful relationships with others. A good leader needs to have a vision and know how to share that vision in a way that followers would understand and respect. Possessing these skills and applying them to leadership positions will help you be a better leader!
Q: How has the past year and a half changed your outlook in your personal and work life? A: This past year has changed both in so many ways! This year taught me, and many others, the importance of being flexible and adaptable on a new level! Things were changing so rapidly which has pushed us to learn new ways to do things! We had to figure out a way to continue meeting and doing the important work, so all the technological advances that have been made in the past few years have been a remarkable thing. It has been exciting to learn that we can do a lot more virtually than we thought!
Q: What is something you look forward to going back to the so called “normal” and why? A: I really miss the social interactions throughout the day. It is nice that meetings can take place virtually, but I really miss the opportunity to have small talk before and after meetings. Having those conversations and being able to just chat with one another created stronger relationships. Another thing that I’m looking forward to is students regaining those interpersonal skills that they haven’t been using as much throughout the pandemic because things were virtual. I’m excited for students to feel more confident and use these skills to meet new people.
Q: What do you think is our new normal? A: First, normal is such a difficult word to define. We have learned to be flexible, have grace in different situations, and have an open mind to think of diverse ways to do things. Because of that, I think our ‘new normal’ is going to be full of things that have always been important to us, but we will be a lot more adaptable! As we continue in our new normal, we should remember to meet people where they are and be willing to make accommodations!
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to the student body about being resilient? A: Students have so many opportunities and they should still seek them out! We are all here
(university staff) to help students learn and grow. Students should continue to seek opportunities to get involved on campus to make their education rich. There are so many ways for you all to still have a great college experience, so do not hide out alone! Remember that we want to support you and help you grow!
A final comment that Dr. Siscoe would like to leave you all with is a reminder that Missouri State is a wonderful place for students to learn and grow! There are so many opportunities and spectacular things for students to experience here on campus!
Thank you all for reading along to see what Dr. Siscoe is thinking while we are heading Back to the Future!
Until next time,
Sarah
(Sarah Farrar is a senior from Webb City majoring in Psychology. She is the Family Assistant for the Office of Family Programs and the Vice President of Development for the Student Activities Council.)