Student Leadership Development

Arnold J. Damen, S.J. Student Center, Suite 127
6511 N. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL  60626
Facebook: LUC Student Leadership Development
Email: leadership@luc.edu

Shannon Howes, Director
Telephone: 773-508-2152
Email: showes1@luc.edu

After earning her masters degree in the College Student Personnel program at Bowling Green State University, Shannon Howes worked as residence director, then as the assistant director for a student leadership development department at a large, private university in Chicago. Shannon began working at Loyola University Chicago in July, 2010, and loves serving as the director for Leadership Development and Second Year Initiatives.  Shannon is a student in LUC's Higher Education doctoral program, and has served as a member of the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership research team.  Shannon has a fabulous partner and 2 wonderful children. As director, Shannon focuses on strategic planning for the area, program development, and assessment.  The programs with which Shannon works most directly are the Leadership for Social Change Learning Community, the LEAD for Change retreats, and The People's Institute retreat.

Yolanda M. Barnes, Coordinator
Telephone: 773-508-8263
Email: ybarnes@luc.edu

Yolanda graduated from Texas A&M University with a Masters' degree in Educational Administration, where she served as a graduate assistant in the Leadership and Service Center.  Her professional and research interest areas include leadership and service, social justice and diversity programs, and the access and retention of first generation students. She has a three year old dog named Josie, who she loves dearly. Yolanda's main responsibilities include coordinating the certificate program, "workshops by request" program, and the Student Leadership Institute.  Yolanda also supervises SLD's student staff, and develops marketing and communication plans for SLD programs. 

Michael McKeon Jr., Coordinator
Telephone: 773-508-2167
Email: mmckeon1@luc.edu 

Mike earned his masters degree in the College Student Personnel program at Bowling Green State University, then worked for a number of years as a residence director.  Mike previously served as the coordinator for a vocational discernment program.  He brings this experience to his role working primarily with Second Year Initiatives, a new program at LUC that Mike is developing with collaboration from campus partners.  The Second Year Initiatives program provides second year undergraduate students with opportunities to make commitments, both internally to values, vocations, and identities, and externally to careers, majors, and community.

Roy Rodriguez, Graduate Assistant
Email: rrodriguez6@luc.edu 

Roy earned his B.A. in Film and Media Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara. During his time as an undergraduate at UCSB, he took on numerous leadership positions in Greek life, the Residence Halls Association, student government, and in the division of student affairs. Being a first generation college student mixed along with his campus involvement both sparked his passion for leadership/leadership development and the impact it can have in ensuring the success of students. This led him to utilize leadership as a means of keeping himself and other first generation students on the right track to earning a college degree. Roy is currently the Graduate Assistant for Leadership Development and Second Year Initiatives and is earning his Master’s in Higher Education from Loyola.

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