Who’s who at USD? | Q&A: Vice President of Student Services, Dean of Students Kim Grieve

Michael Geheren: What are some things you want freshmen to do when they come on campus?

Kim Grieve: Find some student organizations that they can become involved in. Meet their faculty, meet staff, meet new friends, be open to new opportunities. The most important thing is to make this their home. This is going to be their community for the next four years and to really establish the relationships they need in order to be successful. Also, to know they are a Coyote for life.

MG: How would you describe your role? In many high schools the dean is a person students go to when they are in trouble. The dean on a collegiate level is different — can you describe that?

KG: I would say I am the student advocate. If there is anything a student needs, they can come here and let me know. I am not a discipline office, I am the advocacy office.

MG: What were the highlights of your undergraduate life?

KG: I think the highlights for me were getting very involved in campus. I was involved in greek life, student organizations and one of the really valuable experiences I had was work study. I started in the Student Life office at Michigan State my sophomore year. That is really where I developed the love for university life and that is the most important highlight of my undergrad.

MG: What is something USD offers that other schools don’t?

KG: I think what USD offers is a large university experience on a smaller campus. We are large in that we have absolutely everything that a new freshman could want to be apart of, but yet you get to know faculty, staff and other students because we are kind of small at the same time. Having the new MUC as our community hub has made that even easier. It has been even more exciting having everybody in the same place.

MG: What are some of the things you will anticipate next year that will be exciting for the incoming freshman?

KG: I think the most exciting thing is the multicultural center. It will be up and running next year. I think to have a place where there is going to be all people to meet and collaborate and focus on social justice is going to be very important and exciting.

MG: Do you believe this campus is open to free expression and free speech?

KG: I do think this campus allows students to express themselves and we are open to ideas and respectful to all ideas. Even if we don’t agree with them, we want to hear students ideas and we want to respect everyone.

MG: What is one experience you want students to leave with, excluding a diploma?

KG: I want them to leave here being proud of what they have accomplished and being proud to be a USD graduate. I think it is just the warmest place where everybody is so friendly and just goes out of their way. The students are very respectful and very excited about their futures. That is so fun for me to see.