On this episode, host by Lisa Alexander is joined in studio by Shannon Donovan, the Senior Director of Financial Aid at Lansing Community College, for a conversation that highlights the crucial role of financial aid in promoting access and opportunity in higher education. Shannon shares insights into her own day-to-day mission of creating a supporting environment for students through transparent processes and collaboration. The conversation also explores Shannon's journey in higher education, her leadership philosophy, and the values that guide her passion for life and her work.

Hey, hey, hey. This is Lisa A. and you're listening to Who's that Star? on LCC Connect at Lansing Community College. Who's that Star? is a behind the scenes show, where I sit down and talk with the employees at the college. This is an inside look at LCC, where you have a chance to learn about their passions, projects, and what inspires them both in their work and personal lives. I'm your host, Lisa Alexander, and I'm so excited to get a chance to talk to all the people who make LCC great. This show is for you to get to know the people that work at Lansing Community College a little bit more and see what makes them tick. Are you ready? Okay. Let's find out Who's that Star.

Today's episode is about access, opportunity and the people who work behind the scenes to make college possible for so many students. My guest today is someone who is deeply committed to student success and to removing barriers that can often stand in the way of higher education.

Today, Star believes in making complex systems easier to understand and works to ensure that students and families feel supported every step of the way.

With a career rooted in financial aid and higher education, today's star has dedicated their work to to breaking down stigmas and creating more equitable access to college.

Through leadership, collaboration and a strong belief in transparency, they continue to make a meaningful impact on students and the broader college community.

Along the way, today's Star has held leadership roles across higher education and state level organizations, supporting financial aid programs, leading student services and helping institutions work more effectively. Together, each experience strengthened their commitment to helping students not just access college, but successfully navigate it.

Education has also played an important role in today's Star's journey, earning a Bachelor's of Science in Business with a focus on Public relations from Ferris State University and a Master's of Business Administration and Leadership Studies from Baker College, a foundation that continues to shape how they lead and serve today at Lansing Community College. Today's star lead with purpose, passion and a deep belief in the power of education to change lives. So are you guys ready to meet today's star?

Drumroll, please. Today's star is

Shannon Dunivon.

Shannon, welcome to Who's That Star. I'm so glad you're here.

Well, I'm glad to be here. And I'm glad to be here with a fellow bulldog. Go Ferris.

That's right.

And you know, myself and the financial aid team really value and respect you. You lead with such kindness and humor and approachability and everything that you do to help navigate the college experience.

For students we recognize. So it's good to be with you here today.

Well, I appreciate it. We're giving a little hint, but the financial aid folks are my peeps. I really enjoy coming over there. I have a good time with you all.

You have a great team and you inherited from a good leader and I see that you're still leading well too. And I was. So I'm happy for that. So thank you for being on the show.

So for folks who may not know yet, what is your role at LCC and how do you usually explain what you do?

You are so right about having a great team.

I am just incredibly blessed to have so in financial aid there are 16 staff members, soon to be 18, two new people starting soon, one next week and then one coming up here. So 18 staff members, three student employees. But my role in the financial aid office, I serve as senior director of financial aid.

In that role help ensure students can access and afford their education while also making sure that staying compliant that the college stays compliant with federal, state and institutional different regulations. But I usually explain that my role is really sitting at the intersection of student access and policy and operations.

Supporting students directly, but also working to build systems and processes behind the scenes to just help make financial aid work more effectively. But I cannot do that without the amazing team.

I've worked as several different colleges, universities, organizations where and this is just the best team that I've ever been around. They are so student success focused and they go the extra mile to really help students and they know their stuff.

So they stay busy and also work to administer $48.9 million.

So the students at Lansing Community College with their financial aid, which is through the federal government, state of Michigan and then institutional aid and then also the foundation with foundation scholarships that they offer students. But all of that administered $48.9 million towards student accounts. And yes, it's a great, great department.

But that's my role and how I usually explain the work that's done in that office.

That's a lot. Financial aid is not an easy area in a lot of different ways. Like you said about just the procedures and process.

But money is a difficult, you know, circumstance like people can get upset, not understand why they don't get certain things. So it's not an easy job to do, but it's one that's really, like, valuable, and it does allow people access to an education.

But listening to you talk about what you do, you can just kind of hear, like, your values really come through. So that brings me to my next question. What values guide how you show up at work and in life?

The values would really be integrity and a strong commitment to doing what's right for students. Just always doing what's in their best interest, because students are at the heart of everything that we do in Financial aid.

You are so right that it is complex and it can be very emotionally charged. Money's a very personal thing, and so really need to lead with compassion and understanding. I do value collaboration.

I believe that the best outcomes come from bringing people together. And so collaborating with other departments is really important to me.

Have you ever watched TED Lasso? Apple tv? It's a great show, but just curiosity over judgment is a theme in TED Lasso, and I just love that.

And that's a value that helps guide how I show up to work in life. Is that taking time to understand situations before reacting and going with curiosity over judgment.

Oh, wow, I've never heard of that. I've heard of the name, but I'll never really. Because I don't have Apple tv, but I never really, really paid attention to that. But that's good.

Curiosity over judgment. Judgment.

So sometimes people are so quick to judge someone or a situation, and I think it's important of the value of just being curious instead.

So instead of judging something or someone or situation, coming from a place of curiosity where you want to learn more to help you, and that approach, I feel like helps with challenges to become more solutions. Focused mindset.

Well, yeah, I like that though, curiosity over judgment. Because I know sometimes, as I'm getting older, I think I just sometimes will go to judging, you know, like, you should do this, you should do that.

And instead of, like, I can reframe that, be curious about why someone wants to do something. Like, you know, and then you can make. Get more information versus just shutting down somebody with a judgment statement or something like that.

So thank you for that. I love that. I'll use that. So in thinking about your role and Your leadership. What kind of impact do you hope to have on students or your colleagues?

I really hope to have the impact where students feel supported, informed, and confident in navigating financial aid, because financial aid is so overwhelming. And so I really do want them to feel supported. I want the.

For colleagues, I really hope to create a culture where people feel trusted and encouraged and comfortable sharing ideas and. And overall, I would say that, Lisa, that the impact is just to make people help them feel seen. I feel like everyone wants to feel seen.

And so the impact is.

But then ultimately, in terms of my position, just really seeking to leave systems and processes stronger than they were when I started here and making a lasting impact to have financial aid be more approachable and easier to understand.

Yeah. Because that's very. Financial aid is difficult in the sense of, like, oh, Pell grants, loans, all these different scholarships.

And, you know, I have to discuss it. I'm not an expert, and I don't try to. And I definitely refer to your department, but you have to have a little bit idea, and it's.

It's still complex for me, and I have to deal with it. So. I appreciate how you came into this position. You led, but you let people do what they did expertly. Right.

Like, you didn't come in, changing up a whole bunch of stuff. Not that I could see. And you made the area still inviting so people could come in there. Cause I used to go over there and crash and do everything.

I was like, oh, they're gonna have a new director. They're probably not gonna let me come over there. But I have been so welcomed over there, and I just. I love the environment.

Like I said, I love your staff, but I also like your ideologies and the things that you wan. To help keep everybody together, work together, and then make the student feel supported. So I definitely share and appreciate that.

I'm glad you are who you are and when you came into this position, because I know for me, as an outsider, I was worried, so.

Well, I'm glad you are who you are, Lisa. And you make our office and an environment a better place, too.

Yeah. Because on the low, people don't know this, but financial aid throws down. Okay. And they have all the best parties. They have the best, like, potlucks.

And I always seem to get an invitation, so they are always gonna be my people, and I'm always gonna be supportive of them. But let's kind of shift gears a little bit, and let's talk about some things personal, you know, about you.

What's something you love learning about or geeking out on.

Well, I really love learning about people, and I get that from my father. So growing up, you know, we'd go to a restaurant, and my father would say to the waitress, so, how long have you worked there?

What is your favorite part about this job? What do you find most challenging about being a waitress? You know, he'd ask all these questions, and sometimes people would kind of feel like, okay.

Like annoyed or something. Like, okay. But then some people, too, it's just a. They could tell that my father really wanted to learn about them.

And it goes back to the whole thing about feeling seen and stuff, too. And so something that I love learning about is just learning about people. And so I carry that same trait.

And I'm very genuine in the fact that I truly do want to learn about people. Because when you learn about people, you learn about so many other things, too.

I mean, you learn about their different hobbies or the things that they're struggling with, or the things that Their successes, their wins. It opens up the door to so much other things that you can learn about when you just learn about people as people.

Right? And you write about being seen, like a lot of people want to be seen.

And sometimes life just makes it where people are in such a rush, they don't take the time just to ask, you know, how are you? Or what's going on? And so I like that about your daddy. I think that's a good thing.

He did care about people, and that's a good thing to inherit, you know. Well, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Oh, well, in my free time, I really enjoy the outdoors. I love nature. I love visiting national parks. I went with some girlfriends a few years ago, too, in one visit to visit eight national parks.

We encamped outside and hiked and so visiting different national parks, hiking. I like thrifting. I get super excited going to thrift stores and finding good deals. These pants I'm wearing today were $3.

No.

Yeah, they were, actually. So yesterday I went to thrifting and tags. I like to look at the tags of the colors. See how excited I get about thrifting the tags.

Yesterday, Pink color was 75% off, green was 50% off. I was going crazy with finding different things. And so I got these pants yesterday. They're $3. I washed them, and they're cute.

They're so comfortable and just finding good deals, thrifting. So I love thrifting. Love, of course, you know, spending time with my family. I have an awesome supportive partner. And then we have four kids.

Two of my kids, two bio, two step. And they're all very close in age, two are in college, two are in high school.

Oh, wow.

And so love spending time with my family. And then also something that I really enjoy doing in my free time.

It's something personal, but I would like to share it if you're open to hearing about it.

I am.

So I am in recovery, and I go to AA meetings and I like to talk about it because I truly believe that it's important to recover out loud. Sometimes there's this thought that alcoholic is a homeless person living under a bridge or something, and that's just not how it always is.

And so I go to AA meetings. I have an awesome group of sober sisters we call each other. And I read books about sobriety. I listen to podcasts about sobriety.

I just love talking about my recovery journey. So I know that's an odd thing to say, something I like to do in my free time, but it inspires me and gives me life to talk about recovery.

So that's another thing I like to do in my spare time, too.

Yeah. No. Well, first, I think it's brave, right, to talk about that because people not are always curious and they do want to judge. Right.

And so for you to be open to share that one that helps other people because it's okay. And there's not a specific way a person looks when they go through different problems and things like that. So.

And I just think that's super cool, and I think that it can help somebody. So I'm proud of you for that and I appreciate you sharing that. But the thing that really gets me is you like to sleep outside in tents.

I do. I would rather sleep outside in tents than in a hotel.

Oh, no. Oh, no. See?

Are you a hotel? You prefer a hotel?

I'm a glam camper. I want a air condition. I want a nice bed. I want a working toilet. I cannot do. And then the older I get, I can't lay down on that higher ground.

So, like, it's amazing that you like that. And like, the bugs. That's a whole. Oh, I'm a. I'm a bugaphobe. So I hate. Like, other people don't see bugs, but I see em.

And so I'm swatting and doing everything else. So that's too funny that you like to go outside in camp and do all of that.

And, you know, that's how I feel about hotels. So it's interesting because hotels they really gross me out. Sometimes I think about, oh, so many people have stayed in this room, in this bed.

And then, yeah, it just staying intense and kind of being one with nature. That's comforting to be.

Shannon, I'm sorry, but that cracks me up because. Yeah, I didn't even think about that. I do clean, like we do Lysol and beds down and do all that kind of stuff. But I can see where.

Yeah, when you think about it, you like what? I'd rather be outside. But yeah, them bugs. Them bugs run me in quicker than a mug. So, yeah, it's funny. But thank you for sharing that.

I appreciate it and for the laugh, because that tickled me. As we reflect a little. What's a life lesson or what lesson life has taught you that really sticks with you?

Something that really sticks with me is that you don't have to have everything figured out all at once. That really. That progress is often built through small, consistent steps.

And so I feel like a lesson is sometimes I have felt before that I have to have a solution. I have to fix everything right away. But a life lesson that I think about a lot is the power of the pause.

Instead of responding right away or taking action right away, that it's okay to pause and to think about what's happening and kind of like put everything together. And I feel like that helps. Also a lesson about just staying adaptable and trusting the process of things.

Yeah. That pausing can save you a lot of headache, you know, and like anxiety. A lot of times people have anxiety because they want an immediate solution.

They want to get something. They want to be in action. Right. And sometimes just stopping breathing, thinking about things, it can make your life a lot easier.

Yeah. In this day of instant gratification, people are so used to having.

You know, we have our phones on us all the time, and everything feels so connected through technology. But I feel like the more connected we appear to be through all those methods, the more distance we create amongst each other.

But people are so used to, because of that instant gratification through technology, having responses right away. And so the power, the pause is really important.

Especially I feel like when people are feeling emotional or heated, that it really helps when you can pause and think about stuff and just put some space between things.

Well, yeah, no, I agree with that. You got a lot of little gems over here, Shannon. I think I'm gonna have to start using. I like the terminology that you're using today.

So you may hear me. The power of the pause. You may be hearing me say Stuff like that, so.

Oh, I like using that. The power of the pause. You know, another term that I really like that I think about a lot too, is hustle and heart will set you apart.

I like that too.

That is true.

Saying hustle and heart will say.

It will.

Yeah.

That more than sometime an iq.

Well. And I think the big part of that statement is the heart.

Yeah.

So you're the. The. Because when you truly have like student success in your heart or you care for people in your heart, that. That's.

So when I say hustle and heart will set you apart, it's. I would say 90%'s the heart.

Yeah. And. But the hustle too, though, you know, you have to do something.

That's right. That's right.

Works. Won't happen just you sitting down. You gotta make sure that you engage and do things and are curious, and that's where that hustle come in. So.

I agree. I like that terminology too. Okay, I got three things I'm stealing from Shannon today.

But what's the challenge that has helped shape who you are today?

I mean, to go back to the sobriety thing, Lisa. I mean, that's a challenge that has shaped who I am and to work wise. The federal government is a consistent challenge that I'm facing.

You know, they're constantly changing their policies of things or putting out new things. And that is. That's a challenge that has shaped me in terms of my financial aid world and mindset.

And, you know, financial aid is so complicated, but because we have to follow all these policies and procedures and everything, sometimes it makes us seem like we are against helping the student. Like, for instance, satisfactory academic progress. SAP. A student falls in violation, they have to complete an appeal and do all these things.

And it seems like we're putting a barrier for the student, when really it's not us, it's the federal government. And we have to follow those procedures and stuff. So the federal government and.

And some other policies and procedures, and I understand why we have to follow them, but sometimes that can be a challenge.

For sure, it can be a challenge, especially when someone's. Especially with the SAP. So first, I agree with SAP. Right. I think that everybody needs a certain standard to stay accountable to.

And the 70% completion ratio and the C average or 2.0, I think that that's doable. But I also know people have lives and things happen. And so I see where that can be a challenge to students.

But one thing that I really think that the financial aid department here does well is that they're good listeners, and they try to work with students to help them navigate those different challenges.

That's not from lcc, from the federal government, but your department does a really good job with that and helping people to figure out what's the best next step for them financially.

Absolutely. They're so patient and caring and knowledgeable. They really do an awesome job. Yes. We definitely have a fantastic financial aid team.

You do, for sure. So, finally, just our last question.

If someone is listening right now and trying to find their place at lcc, what advice would you want to share with them?

I'd like to tell them to really focus on building relationships and understanding how the different areas of the college connect and how they can work together.

We have in the financial aid staff meetings each week, we have a guest speaker who comes in for about 15 minutes to talk about what they do at LCC and answer questions. And that's so helpful, I think, just being able to understand people in their position, and I feel it's been helpful.

So I would say, like building relationships, understanding what people do at the college, being not afraid to ask questions or get involved, but being patient with yourself, too, because I feel like finding your place takes time and just being open and engaged and willing to learn.

Well, Shannon, I want to thank you so much for sharing your story and your perspective with us today. It has been truly a pleasure having you on who's that Star Today? I don't think I've cackled like that in a minute, and so I really enjoy that.

Is there anything you'd like to say? Closing out?

Well, I really appreciate the time. I love listening to your podcast and I appreciate the opportunity to be on it and just, I'm really excited to be part of the LCC team. I'm still.

I consider myself fairly new. August will be two years, and so still fairly new.

My background is in higher ed and in financial aid, and I never really thought about LCC as a place to work. But one of my old colleagues that I worked with, Dr. Will Emerson, who he's the HHS works with, I love Will. Oh, he's fantastic.

Yeah, we work together over at Michigan Works.

Oh, great. Yeah. And so it's.

So I worked with him in another position, and he spoke so highly of lcc, and I remember listening to him thinking, wow, yeah, maybe I should take a look at LCC as a potential place to work. And so when the position became available, it was because of Dr. Will Emerson that got me interested in thinking about LCC.

So I feel like that the reason I say that. Well, number one, to say Dr. Will Emerson's awesome and amazing and such an asset to the company.

Let me see if I can get him to come on.

Oh, he'd be a fantastic person to interview. Yes, but so I say it to talk about him, but also to say that you never know who is listening or who you might impact about lcc.

So when we are out in the community or talking to our friends and family that the things that we say about this awesome place that we work is important because you might be be impacting the next person in a different who is hired, the next new hire or the next new student.

So we all have, I feel like a responsibility to help with the enrollment numbers and also the HR and for the hires too, that it's like we want great people to work here and so what we say about the institution is important.

It does matter.

Yes, it does.

Well, thanks again, Shannon.

And just like that, another star shines a little brighter. Thank you for joining me on who's that Star

Where we celebrate the people who make LCC more than a college. We make it a community. I'm Lisa A. And I'll see you next time.

You've been listening to Who's that Star? I'm Lisa A. and you can listen to this episode of Who's that Star? and other shows from LCC Connect anytime online at lccconnect.org. Thank you for listening. Catch me next time to find out Who's that Star.