Candidates for NACAC Delegate – Postsecondary 2014-2015
 Quinton Clay |
 Jason Swann |
 Stephanie Szczepanski |
Quinton Clay
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission
University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign
Education:
B.A., Wartburg College
Previous Employment:
DePaul University, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission (2012–2013);
Grinnell College, Regional Coordinator of Chicago Recruitment (2010–2012);
Grinnell College, Assistant Dean and Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment (2008–2010);
Grinnell College, Assistant Dean and Coordinator of Campus Visit Programs (2007–2008);
Coe College, Admissions Counselor (2005–2007)
IACAC Member: 5 years
IACAC Activities:
Conference Program Committee Tri-Chair (2012–present);
Conference Program Committee member (2011–present);
Mentorship Committee member (2011–present);
College and Awareness Preparation Committee member (2010–2012)
NACAC Activities: Member 6 years;
African-American Special Interest Group member (2008-present)
Other Professional Activities:
Link Unlimited Strategic Admission Advisory Committee (2011–2012);
Iowa ACT State Organization Iowa member (2009–2010);
Impacting Diversity through Education Allies member (2005–2010)
Candidate Statement:
I am tremendously excited about the opportunity to serve IACAC as Post-secondary NACAC Delegate Director. It is through this great association that I received outstanding mentoring and support during my professional start nearly 9 years ago–being a young college graduate from Iowa, navigating the challenges and joys of Illinois high school student recruitment. It wasn’t until after I spent time recruiting in other areas, now including 34 states and 9 countries, that I could fully appreciate the camaraderie, collaboration and spirited professionalism that IACAC fosters. My friends and colleagues from state-affiliates across the nation regularly comment on the leadership and organization of IACAC, and this reputation is well-deserved! Our association is fortunate to be saturated with passionate and consummate professionals whose efforts are not constrained to the duties of their respective positions. This rich legacy includes generations of servant-leaders who contributed to education reform and best-practice without public recognition, and many making even more impactful strides today. Alongside these trailblazers, today’s vibrant and passionate membership inspires me to contribute more as we face more challenges in a national and local landscape that is changing dramatically. Like many before and after me, my path as a first generation college graduate required an open-mind, tenacity, empathy, respect for others and self-advocacy. Now I endeavor to stay at the cusp of change to help influence and further advance paths to post- secondary education for the generation of today, and generations to come. As your NACAC Delegate Director I would continually strive to identify and rally support for the critical issues that impact our association, communities and students. I am tremendously appreciative of my nomination for the NACAC Delegate Director position, and would be honored to serve the ideas, initiatives and legislation of IACAC.
Jason Swann
Dean of Admissions & Enrollment Management
Rend Lake College
Education:
B.A., Blackburn College;
M.A., McKendree University;
Ph.D. Indiana Tech (2014)
Previous Employment:
Illinois Supreme Court (2000–2003);
Blackburn College Admissions (2003–2005)
IACAC Member: 9 years
IACAC Activities:
(Interim) Delegate Director Liaison between IACAC and NACAC (2014);
Tri-Chair IACAC District Seminars (2013–2014);
Project Reach Tri-Chair (2010);
Government Relations Committee (2012–present);
IACAC Conference Presenter (2009-2011);
Conference Committees: Mentorship and Registration, First-Timers; Middle Management Institute;
Southern District Seminar Committee member (2005–present); District Seminar presenter;
ICE Fair Coordinator (2006–present)
NACAC Activities: Member 9 years;
Guiding the Way to Inclusion Conference (2008)
Other Professional Activities:
MOACAC Member (2005–2006);
Member of Workforce Investment (WIA) Youth Council (Serve governing board of Alternative Education in Southern Illinois) (2011–present);
Employee Leadership Institute at Rend Lake College (2006–2007)
Candidate Statement:
Prior to becoming a dean, I served for about eight years as Director of Recruitment and Dual Credit at RLC, a rural community college in Southern Illinois. Working closely with high school students through dual credit was a unique experience. For the first time I was literally bringing college to them! I understood that enrollment and admissions was the arena where I wished to hang my hat. However, it wasn’t until I spoke at the Middle Management Institute, an institute I once attended myself as a director, for IACAC that I fully understood my career focus.
I truly believe that my educational and professional training up to now have prepared me for the position for which I now hold. However, I’m looking for an opportunity to challenge both my understanding of the systemic process of higher education and to encourage myself to continuously examine from “outside the box.” In any case the ultimate goal is to understand the past and present while obtaining the knowledge needed to develop the future.
Involvement with the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling has only served to increase my dedication to our field. I have remained as involved as possible over the years, trying to give back as much as I’ve learned. Currently, I serve as the interim Delegate Director Liaison between IACAC and NACAC. Holding this position for most of the current year has taught me much in regard to the structure and function of the Board. It is my honor to be nominated for this position, and I will pledge to serve the Board and the organization to the best of my abilities.
In this capacity, I hope to offer a voice for the downstate representatives of our organization, and to increase awareness of and membership in IACAC in Southern Illinois as well as throughout the State. Our organization is a great resource for those in our field, and it’s only made better when more of us join in and take part. I want to continue our work at improving the college experience for the students we serve. Thank you for your consideration.
Stephanie Szczepanski
Assistant Director
Saint Louis University
Education:
B.S., Loyola University Chicago;
M.Ed., Loyola University Chicago
Previous Employment:
Mother McAuley High School, College Counselor (2005–2008);
Loyola University Chicago, Admission Counselor, Program Coordinator (2002–2005)
IACAC Member: 12 years
IACAC Activities:
Scholarship Committee Co-Chair (2013–present), inaugural member since 2013;
Evaluations Committee Co-Chair (2013, 2014), member since 2012;
Tellers Committee Co-Chair (2011, 2012), member (2003–2012);
Molly K. Arnold President’s Service Award (2013);
Mentorship Committee Mentor (2014);
Presenter at Annual Conference (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013);
First Timers Committee Member (2011 & 2013);
Membership Committee Member (2011- 2013);
Registration Committee Member (2004 – 2010);
IACAC Attendee (2003-present)
NACAC Activities: Member 6 years;
National Regional Retreat Committee Member and Presenter (2014);
Chicago National Fair Volunteer (2013);
Conference Attendee (Milwaukee, St. Louis and New Orleans);
Confernce Volunteer (St. Louis)
Other Professional Activities:
Chicago Area Regional Representative (C.A.R.R.) Member since 2005, Executive Board – Social Chair (2011–2013);
Noel Levitz Conference (2012, 2013); ACT Conference (2004);
Annapolis Institute (2004);
IACAC Summer Institute (2002)
Candidate Statement:
I feel truly blessed and honored to be nominated as a potential delegate to represent IACAC on the national level. I started my career in admissions on my birthday in the summer of 2002. I made a career change and went from an insurance adjuster to an admission counselor for Loyola University Chicago. My first day at Loyola coincided with the first day of the IACAC Summer Institute. I knew I made the right decision when Molly Arnold spoke to us about how she came into this career from the insurance field. I felt a connection to her story and I knew I was in the right place. My first year, I fell in love with this profession and the people within it. This ignited a fire in me to be involved. Since that point, I have volunteered at every conference. I have been privileged to work on both the high school and college side of the admission process. I feel working on both sides of the desk has given me a unique understanding of our students and provided mentors that have truly helped shape me into who I am today. Over the years, I have worked with students from various states and backgrounds. I have had the opportunity to work with the entire spectrum of socioeconomic levels, first generation and undocumented students. I understand their various issues and concerns and have always made it a priority to keep the student at the heart of the situation.
Over the past year I had the pleasure to serve as a co-chair for the IACAC Scholarship committee. I have served for two years on the executive board of the Chicago Area Regional Representatives and as a conference committee co-chair for IACAC for the past four years. These leadership positions have given me the outstanding opportunity to serve a large number of students within the state of Illinois. I hope to work for the students and families learning and researching issues that affect all of us on a state and national level. As your NACAC delegate, I will make sure to continue to put the needs of IACAC and our students first. I will represent you with compassion, sensitivity and excitement for our future. I look forward to many continuous years of growth and opportunity through my involvement with IACAC, CARR and NACAC. Thank you again for your consideration.
