Biography
Hi! I'm Jena.
Thanks for stopping by my website. My name is Jena Self and I am a
full-time employee at Illinois State University with the department of
Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality. I assist the director and various administrators throughout our department - the largest on campus, with over 1,200 total employees!
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I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education. After deciding not to teach, my path took me back to UW-Platteville to fulfill a role as an Admission Advisor.
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My family moved to Bloomington-Normal in September 2017 and I began my position at ISU in February 2018. Knowing how much I wanted to continue to learn about the higher education and how to be the best advocate for the students I was working with, enrolling in the College Student Personnel Administration graduate program through ISU as a part-time student was the perfect fit for me and my career. Over the past year and a half, I have enjoyed being exposed to new theories, experiences, conversations, and courses that have helped me understand what it truly means to work in Student Affairs.
This summer, I will be participating in a practicum experience at Heartland Community College as a Success Connections/Success Education Coach. I am deeply passionate about assisting students and young professionals flourish, whether that be connecting them with an internship opportunity, developing an academic road map, advising on resume building, providing professional development opportunities, or to be a sounding board for life: food insecurity, student employment, housing questions, or time management.
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As a Student Affairs professional, I value honesty and transparency in policies and procedures, relationship building,
professional development, personal development, collaboration, and always being inclusive and student-focused in my work.
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 As a part-time student, I do not have a specific cohort I "belong" to, but these individuals have welcomed me with open arms into their cohort, and I am honored to work alongside each of them. |  Shortly after joining ISU in February 2018, I attended my "All About ISU" orientation with a visit from, none other than, Reggie Redbird, himself. |  A lovely photo of me in my PPE as I walk through the Bone Student Center as part of the Bone Student Center Revitalization project... one of the last times the international flags will be up in this format! |
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 My classmates and I toured Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI during a project to research a Hispanic Serving Institution. Alverno is also a women's college and is religiously affiliated. |  I attended the ACUI (Association of College Unions-International) New Professionals Conference in June 2019 hosted at Indiana University. |  Not only do I get to work with an amazing staff of professionals, but as an administrator in Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality, I sometimes get to work alongside student employees in the dining centers. This was popcorn chicken day - a campus favorite! |
 Strike a pose! EAF Gala 2020 was a ball. |  Many current CSPA students and alumni crammed together for a group photo at the EAF Gala 2020. |  Here I am at the annual Civil Service Council Children's Holiday Party, where I served on the planning committee, with my good friend and CSPA alumna, Brittney Vietti. Our daughters are destined for a lifelong friendship and love of Reggie! |
 As part of the Civil Service Council, I chaired our 2019 Homecoming committee. It was cold and rainy, but it didn't stop us from handing out lots of candy! |  I'm posing with John Green, a former ISU agriculture professor in the building I work in: The John Green Food Service Building. During World War II, Green worked with student employees in food service to organize meals for the Navy V-12 unit that resided on campus. There are two campus scholarships in his name: one of them is for agriculture students; the other is for student employees in campus dining. |  CSPA students enjoy the annual ISU Martin Luther King, Jr. dinner in between a live jazz band and keynote, Angela Rye. |
 It was a wonderful night to sit alongside my peers to speak about issues of race and racial inequality that are still prevalent on college campuses today. |  Even when I'm not at work... somehow I'm still on campus! My husband and I got dolled up to attend the Bloomington-Normal Young Professionals winter mixer in January 2020 at Hancock Stadium. BNYP has been an integral part of my professional development since joining ISU in 2018. |  Homecoming 2019 with CSPA current students, faculty, and alumni. GO, YOU REDBIRDS! |
 .... now do a silly one! |