Fellow Friday - Annie Jacobson, West Shore Community College

What do you do at the college and why is leadership important in your role?

My role as Director of Enrollment & First-Year Experience means that I help students enter the world of postsecondary education and connect them to the wider West Shore community throughout their first year to build a sense of belonging. This is a campus-wide effort that requires us to identify our goals, collaborate with faculty and staff, and engage our external partners. Since there are so many moving parts and varied voices, leadership helps keep us working toward our common student success outcomes.

Why is equitable student success so important in higher education?

I think higher education has the potential to transform students' lives and the communities in which they live, but without equity in student success, many of our underserved students continue to be left out and left behind, perpetuating a cycle that doesn't serve them, our institutions, or our communities. When we begin to examine our data and institutional practices with equity in mind, we're better positioned to make changes that serve our entire student body and elevate our organizations.

What motivates you to invest in your own leadership development?

It's incredibly important to me to create a space for my team where we feel seen and valued so that when we inevitably need to have difficult conversations, we have a strong foundation of trust. Investing in my own leadership development has helped me learn how to build that trust and navigate areas of discomfort, which I hope make me a more effective leader.