6 minute read
Making Waves
On June 30, 2021, Shippensburg University’s 17th President Laurie A. Carter departed to become president of Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. The university is thankful for the vision and leadership she provided and reflects on a transformative four year journey.
When Carter arrived to campus in 2017, she made one thing very clear; together, Ship was going to make waves. Waves that carried the university to great heights, broke down barriers and explored new places.
She established four university priorities to make those waves: student success, telling the university’s story, community, and quality. The priorities’ straightforwardness were matched only by their impact.
President Carter chats in the quad during her first weeks at Ship.
Putting students first
Throughout her tenure at Ship, Carter frequently posed the question to faculty and staff “is this what is best for students?” And what was best for the success of students brought exciting new things to Ship.
In her first major move to improve recruitment and retention at the university, she led the creation of the first-year experience program. A collaborative effort between staff and faculty, new students at Ship are now provided additional skills, support and mentorship during the critical period of transition to college life. Through the UNIV 101 course students gain academic skills, community engagement opportunities, and an understanding of diversity and social responsibility.
In an effort to increase accessibility to support services, Carter led the renovation of once-vacated Mowrey Hall into a onestop-shop, student success center. The Elnetta G. Jones University Center for Student Success and Exploratory Studies is now home to the Learning Center, Academic Engagement and Exploratory Studies Department, Academic Success/ Summer Bridge Program, Early Alert Office, International Programs/Global Education Center, First-Year Experience and Community Engagement offices.
In March of 2019, Carter and the campus community celebrated the opening of the Office of Students First, Ship’s firstgeneration student support program. As a first-generation student herself, Carter understood the unique challenges and pressures first-generation students face, and envisioned a place for students to receive the support they needed and deserved. Firstgeneration students are thriving through the utilization of researchbased programs, best practices, campuswide advocacy, and resources. And one year after launching the program, Ship was named a First-gen Forward Institution by the Center for Firstgeneration Student Success.
Her work in support of students included the addition of an executive level chief diversity officer, a State-wide Black Male Symposium, renovating the home of MultiCultural Student Affairs in Gilbert Hall, creation of a PRIDE Center, securing of a grant for a bystander intervention program, and expansion of the Title IX office.
This students first approach to Carter’s administration resulted in a six percent increase in retention in just three years. Student success meant Ship success.
Under Carter’s direction, the university experienced new and unprecedented opportunities with the surrounding community. In small and large ways, Shippensburg University continues integrating itself into the very town it calls home.
Community
During her inauguration in 2018, she made sure to include the Shippensburg community through service opportunities during her Waves of Kindness Campaign.
imagined how these years would unfold, but I am so grateful to this community for the way in which you welcomed me, the way you Student organizations took part in the were willing to dig in and do town Halloween and holiday parades, the hard work that needed fall Welcome Week introduced downtown to be done…” programming, and each fall the university opened the front lawn of Old Main to the community for Treats-No-Tricks. New light post banners even delivered Ship pride downtown. Carter supported the expansion of the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, led the transformation of the gateway to campus with the renovation of Stewart Hall as an alumni and welcome center, and supported new downtown initiatives like First Fridays and Trailfest. Working to further impact the community, she was named to and served on the WellSpan Health Board of Directors, Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce Board, a Millennium Leadership Institute steering committee and became chair of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference President’s Council. In the spring of 2021 Carter’s vision for expanded community partnerships reached new heights as the university officially opened its first downtown location. The Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation, the Mr. and Mrs. Milton K. Morgan III Makerspace and the Center for Land Use and Sustainability (CLUS) now call 29 E. King Street home.
Telling our story
Understanding the significance of communicating and listening, Carter ushered in a wide-range of new initiatives that started many important conversations.
Convos with Carter each semester and monthly video messages to campus became the norm, allowing her to share important campus news and collaborate with faculty, staff and students.
Alumni were invited to be a part of Ship’s storytelling, as Carter went on the road with the “Premiering Ship” campaign. Guests were treated to an afternoon of networking, snacks and videos featuring the latest Ship news and accomplishments. Carter tasked attendees to share not only Ship’s story, but their own personal impact stories with prospective students and parents.
Carter instituted various events with lawmakers, industry leaders, employers and students, once again showcasing Ship’s achievements and seeking to collaborate. By telling Ship’s story through personal interaction, strategic publications and video, the word was getting out. Ship was making waves.
Even her dog Pepper got in on the action with an annual holiday message featuring his K-9 adventures.
Quality
A commitment to quality meant enhancing the value of a Ship education, the student experience and the university workforce.
This focus on quality is evident as Ship climbed 22 spots to be ranked 88 on the US News and World Report Best Colleges list for Regional Universities. Study.com ranked seven of Ship’s programs as top in the nation and the John L. Grove College of Business was once again named as one of the nation’s most outstanding business schools, according to The Princeton Review®.
Through the establishment of the President’s Leadership Academy, Carter provided professional development for staff and faculty to increase capacity to significantly improve the identity, culture and future success of the university. She also debuted the Presidential Medal, an annual award inspiring and recognizing excellence in staff and faculty.
She spearheaded the renovation of the decommissioned Steam Plant, providing the needed room for growth for the School of Engineering. The new facility delivers the state-of-the-art equipment and hands-on experience students require to gain the competitive edge in the workforce.
Fond Farewell
After a year of steering the mighty Ship through a global pandemic, Carter sets off thankful for her time at Ship and ready for her next adventure.
“As we look ahead and sail into less tumultuous waters, my family and I are sad to leave. But, I know I leave Shippensburg University strong and ready for this new higher education landscape,” said Carter in an e-mail message to campus.
The Ship community wishes President Carter good luck, calm seas and clear skies.
President Carter and her son Carter (left), husband Gary (right) and Pepper (middle).
