Stony Brook University staff members in the Division of Student Life, the Office of Student Activities and the Office of Commuter Student Services work behind the scenes every day to improve the quality of campus life for all students.

As the assistant director of student life and leadership, Shannon Jayne watches over the Office of Commuter Services and develops leadership initiatives for students on campus. She helps to organize the Leadstrong Student Leadership Conference and helped to create the campus involvement project, which started the “25 Things to do Before You Graduate” campaign.

On a personal level, Jayne mentors student leaders one-on-one so they can improve campus life. On a larger level, Jayne plans events that range from public speaking to leadership conferences.

“We want our students to have skills so that when they leave Stony Brook University, they represent the university in a positive light and be a positive change in the community that they are in and be a positive change in the world,” Jayne said.

Jayne feels that her most significant achievements in her current position include making the Leadstrong conference more interactive, improving the Commuter Student Services program and creating developments with non-traditional students, or adult learners.

Anthony LaViscount is the director of student activities. A member of the undergraduate class of 2001 and graduate class of 2006, he approaches his position by considering what he liked and what he did not like while he was a student. He wants to help make things happen.

“I want to know what our students want,” LaViscount said. “I want to meet with any number of students what are looking for help.”

LaViscount sits on the committee that plans the Student Life Awards and helped bring the John Lennon tour bus onto campus last year. He also works with USG and the Student Activities Board on any program where students show interest.

LaViscount gets feedback as to what students are interested in by having students sign into a logbook outside his office. His staff also sends out surveys.

Emily Resnick works to enhance campus life by overseeing the Office of Commuter Services as the senior advisor. The Office of Commuter Services creates and hosts programming concentrated on the 6,000 to 6,500 commuter students on SBU’s campus.

Resnick has been working with commuter students since she started at SBU in January 2007. She started off working in the office and was eventually promoted to adviser and then again to her current position.

She also works heavily to see that the university meets the needs of non-traditional students. “I think the development of the adult learner populations is something I’m proud of,” Resnick said.

Resnick also is proud of the Commuter Assistant program and said that the caliber of students that help commuter students is incredibly impressive.

Kimberly Stokely serves as the assistant director of fraternity and sorority life.

Stokely helps with internal operations having to do with Greek life, including governing structures and implementing leadership programs.  She offers guidance to her students and helps them provide educational programs while serving the community. She also helped to organize this year’s Homecoming activities and plans.

She is proud of chartering an honor society on campus for students involved in Greek life. She is also proud of “working with fraternities and sororities to establish our five stars standards program,” she said. At the end of each year, fraternities and sororities get a star ranking out of five based on the amount of philanthropic work they do, scholarship and other factors. Stokely was a member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority at Chapman University in southern California.