A Welcome for Jennifer

By Rob Coffin

There’s a new face roaming the halls of UPEI’s Robertson Library this year. Her name is Jennifer Goddard-Sheppard and she is our newly appointed Student Services Director.

Born in Montreal, Mrs. Goddard-Sheppard has since lived in various places in Canada. She started her university life at St. Mary’s University where she earned a B.A. in Sociology. From there she moved to Dalhousie to take a Master of Public Administration Degree. With a desire to learn and make herself more capable of serving students, Mrs. Goddard-Sheppard earned her final degree at Mount Allison University, a Master of Education.

Aside from her education, Mrs. Goddard-Sheppard has had much work experience which helped her become more understanding of the needs of students. Calling herself a "Student of Life," she is dedicated to serving others, namely you and me, the students of UPEI.

While at St. Mary’s, Mrs. Goddard-Sheppard worked as a "Don" or Resident Assistant. She like being involved in the university life and her first job after receiving her M.P.A. was, quite appropriately, as Supervisor of Residences at the

Nova Scotia Technical College. She has also worked at Mt. A. as Assistant to the Dean of Students which, she says was the toughest job she’s had to date. It was at Mt. Allison that a trusty FAX machine enabled her to learn of the opening for the position of Director of Student Services and here she is, as of August 7,

Not yet 30 years of age, Mrs. Goddard-Sheppard is in

touch with the needs of today’s student. Her job description requires her to oversee many administrative operations. These include: daycare

on campus; regulation of food supply; supervisor of residences; Canada Employment Center on Campus activities; heading labs; effective speaking courses; financial aid; counsel with academic and personal probtems,; and housing. All of these services and more are available at UPEI. And students are encouraged to use them if they feel a need to do so.

Aside fromm these services, however, lies another impeitant aspect of the staff at Student Services. Mrs. Goddard-Sheppard and her colleagues are also concerned about students as people, not just students as persons who come to class and then go home again. If any student or group of students has a personal or collective problem, then the staff at Student Services would like to hear from you. They’re there to help you and are happy to do it. One of their greatest fears is that they could lose touch with students. They do work hard, and with a little input from students they can become better able to serve us.

With pleasure we invite Jennifer to UPEI and we wish her and her staff success in the months ahead. Jennifer states exuberantly that "we are here to serve students.". Keep that in the back of your mind and don’t hesitate to make use of the many types of aid — and counsel available at Student Services. The Department is just behind the Pit in Robertson Library.

September 20th, 1990

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