Sydney Bowen puts students at the center of the LR experience

For Sydney Bowen, director of student engagement at Lenoir-Rhyne University, the best college experiences don't happen by accident. They are built one conversation, one connection and one opportunity at a time.

“I want people to look back and say, ‘I had the best experience in college,’”Bowen said. “I love being able to create that for them. If somebody said, 'This was the best thing that ever happened' then my job is done.”

It's a philosophy that has guided Bowen throughout her career in higher education and one she now brings to LR. For Bowen, student engagement begins with listening. She believes the point of her work is understanding what students want from their college experience and helping create the kind of campus community where they can thrive.

A graduate of Salem College, Bowen began her career in admissions before moving into student engagement, where she discovered a passion for helping students build connections and find a sense of belonging. During her time at Salem, she helped lead orientation programs, campus traditions and student engagement initiatives that welcomed new students and strengthened campus community.

“Working in admissions and then moving into student engagement showed me how important it is that the student experience matches what we promise prospective students,” she said. “My first goal this semester is to make meaningful connections with our students, so they can tell me what they want to see and what they need from us. The student experience should be driven by students.”

For Bowen, memorable college experiences begin with the feeling of belonging. Creating an inclusive and welcoming campus begins the moment students arrive and continues through the everyday relationships they build with classmates, faculty and staff.

From those first days on campus, Bowen hopes students discover a community where they feel comfortable asking questions, stepping outside their comfort zones and reaching out when they need support.

“The culture starts at orientation,” she said. “I want students to know this is their community from the very beginning. I want them to get involved, meet people, try new things and feel like they belong. That’s how you create a college experience that changes the rest of your life.”