Shanice Sueda is a senior at PSU, majoring in biochemistry. She is currently Campus Rec’s Business Operations Lead, and has been an integral part of the team since her freshman year! Shanice is also a BUILD EXITO scholar. BUILD EXITO is an undergraduate research training program dedicated to supporting students on their path to becoming scientific researchers. BUILD EXITO was one of the main reasons Shanice chose to attend PSU, and we are so grateful she did!
Born in Yokosuka, Japan, Shanice grew up speaking Japanese as her first language. From a military family, she transferred to school on a military base in middle school. One challenge of the transition was having to teach herself how to speak, write and read in English.
During her freshman year at PSU, Shanice’s mentor recommended she apply for Campus Rec's FLASH Program, which stands for Freshman Learners Acquiring Skills in Higher Education. FLASH provides resources and experiential learning opportunities to support freshman students with their first paid position on campus. Following her acceptance into FLASH, Shanice began her position as an Office Assistant for Campus Rec. Shanice says that her supervisor, Chiki Kwong, has made a major impact on her personal and professional development. Chiki has helped to teach her the importance of taking initiative and paying attention to details, and has helped her to strengthen her time management and organizational skills. In regard to her communication skills, Shanice considers herself a more reserved person, and reflects on opportunities the role has given her to improve these skills.
Last June, Shanice began her role as Business Operations Student Lead, where she works alongside her co-lead, Leticia. In this leadership role, Shanice is able to witness operations and processes behind the scenes, allowing for further opportunity to take initiative and propose ideas. This job has “pushed her out of her comfort zone,” and she is grateful for the support of Chiki and her team. Her favorite part of the role is engaging with the Office Assistants on her team, and getting to develop relationships with other leaders within Campus Rec.
Shanice’s advice for fellow student employees is to “Connect with other departments as much as you can and network! Campus Rec is one of the easiest places to start doing that.” She encourages new employees to express interest in growth opportunities early, because that will help you to find a position that will satisfy your needs.
Thank you for your hard work and for being such an excellent example of leadership, Shanice! We are looking forward to seeing you around the Rec. Be sure to say hi to Shanice if you see her around.