A Southern Illinois University Edwardsville student garnered national accolades from the American College Personnel Association and received the Outstanding Graduate Student Staff Award.
Clarissa Greguska, assistant community director in University Housing, recently received the ACPA award. This national honor is presented to a graduate student who exemplifies excellent leadership and academic abilities in housing and residence life.
Alexandria White, Greguska’s supervisor and community director for the Cougar Village 400-Side, nominated her. Greguska’s nomination highlighted her contributions to the Family Resource Center, and her efforts in connecting the curriculum in her Art Therapy degree with her assistantship in University Housing.
“As an art therapist, Clarissa intertwines her love of art and academics to create intentional programming for children at the Family Resource Center,” said White. “Her academic determination has allotted her many successes, which include being selected as the chair for the 2012 Student Art Therapy Association Fall Conference.”
Greguska’s nomination was also supported by Sarah Kirkpatrick, assistant director for Cougar Village Apartments. “In addition to educational and intentional programs, Clarissa (of Big Bend, Wisc.) has been very intentional in how she and the staff hold the children accountable for their behavior and choices,” said Kirkpatrick. “She utilizes concepts from the classroom within her Art Therapy program and ensures that children receive positive reinforcement and constructive methods for making better choices.”
The Outstanding Graduate Student is also credited for developing Family Week, a week-long initiative that partners children with mentors. The purpose is to learn about teamwork and cooperation while completing a series of projects.
The ACPA Outstanding Graduate Student award was presented at the 2014 ACPA Annual Convention in Indianapolis. American College Personnel Association (ACPA), headquartered in Washington, D.C. at the Nation Center for Higher Education, is the leading comprehensive student affairs association that advances student affairs and engages students for a lifetime of learning and discovery.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.