On Direct: Senior Director of Student Services Eric Shannon

Senior Director of Student Services Eric Shannon

After serving in the shared role of Acting Dean of Students and, before that, working with students as part of the Career Development Office team, Eric Shannon was named the Law School’s Senior Director of Student Services this past summer.

Shannon came to St. John’s in 2018 from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where he was an associate in the Litigation Group. He is a graduate of Cornell University, Fordham’s Graduate School of Education, and NYU School of Law. Before law school, he taught high school biology through Teach for America.

The Office of Student Services provides vital support to St. John’s Law students that, with the public health crisis, has become even more vital. Here, Shannon talks to Associate Dean for External Relations Trent Anderson about his work overseeing the academic, intellectual, psychological, and personal aspects of student life.

TA: What was it like to start in Student Services as the pandemic was having such a sweeping impact?

ES: It was extremely challenging, but also tremendously rewarding. Despite having been at St. John’s for over two years, I was humbled by how much I didn’t know about Law School operations. And then, right at the same time, ‘standard operating procedure’ in many ways went out the window and students developed needs on a scale and frequency not seen before. Having so much to do was a distraction from my own worries about the pandemic and the quickly changing world. Then again, so much of my work was about the effects of the pandemic that it was impossible to block it out at times. Ultimately, taking this role on at this unique moment forced me to practice what I preach. I had to re-evaluate my work-life boundaries. I even learned mindfulness meditation, though it’s still not part of my daily routine.

TA: What do you see as the common thread weaving through your past and present roles at St. John’s Law?

ES: There are many common threads, but the biggest one is that every day I feel as though I’m helping students navigate their individual pathways to becoming legal professionals. I have so much respect for legal advocates, and for the genuine power and privilege of a legal education. I’ve always been fascinated by people, too—by their aspirations, by what motivates them, and by what unique perspective they bring to the table.

TA: What do you most enjoy about your work in Student Services?

ES: I really enjoy getting to know our students and helping them achieve their professional goals. Connecting with our students, and being a part of this chapter of their lives, is a unique privilege. I remember teachers, advisors, and counselors who helped me at different points in my life, and I hold them in high esteem. Part of my job is having to deliver less-than-happy news to students. But even on these more personally challenging days, I remind myself that how I go about doing this work can make a difference. To do this while telegraphing empathy and compassion is also an opportunity to make an impact.

TA: How has Student Services adapted to meet the needs of students who are engaging with the Law School remotely?

ES: I’m proud of the many ways that my colleague, Student Services Coordinator Zach Piper, and I have re-visited programming and student engagement to meet the needs of our remote students. We enjoy an extremely collaborative relationship with the other student-facing administrators and deans. At the start of the academic year, we sent welcome packages to all remote 1Ls to remind them that, wherever they are, they’re part of the St. John’s Law community. We also prioritized regular check-in phone calls and created a virtual wellness resource list that grew into our monthly Wellness Newsletter. This fall, we provided a quiet, secure location at the Law School where our graduates could take the bar exam. And, together with our Student Bar Association and student groups, we’re always looking for new ways to connect with students and connect them with one another.

TA: Over the summer, you gave students a virtual tour of your house plants as part of the Pizza Socials program series. Why are programs like that so important?

ES: These programs really help students who are struggling with feeling isolated, as we all are to varying degrees right now. They allow students to experience an intimate, low-stakes, non-academic event hosted by faculty and administrators. For mine, I got to talk about something I’m passionate about and to literally, albeit virtually, invite 20 students into my home for an evening. We laughed and shared stories about successes and failures and just spent time with one another. It was great.

TA: During this challenging time, our alumni have given generously to the Law School’s Student Emergency Fund and Student Opportunity Fund. Is there ongoing student need that our alumni can help meet?

ES: Absolutely. To anyone reading this who has already contributed to either of these efforts: Thank you! Your contributions make a big difference in our students’ lives. I’ve been proud to serve on the Law Student Emergency Fund Committee since its launch in Spring 2020. The Fund makes it possible for us to quickly and directly help students facing unanticipated emergency financial need. We’ve worked to help students who suddenly lost employment, who experienced injuries or medical emergencies, and who find themselves in unsafe situations. I can’t tell you how many students have expressed both sincere gratitude for this support and a desire to give back down the road when they’re able to.