Shawna Young: Dean of the College of Professional Studies
Commuting multiple hours to get to Cal Poly Humboldt every week, Dean Shawna Young makes the trip from her home in the Central Valley to Arcata. Young was appointed as dean of the College of Professional Studies effective on July 31, 2019 and has since focused on students’ success.“I think my biggest takeaways from students here is how important it is to be accessible to students. So those of us who work at this institution at this university who are here in service to students we need to be accessible. Available. Responsive,” Young said.
Young had previously worked at California State University, Stanislaus for 17 years before her role as dean for the College of Professional Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt. During her role at CSUS, Young was appointed associate vice president for Academic Affairs her last three years where she previously led research and sponsored programs and the Center for Excellence in Graduate Education.
“I think my biggest take-aways from students here is how important it is to be accessible to students,” Young said.
Young was born and raised in San Francisco where she earned her bachelor’s in physical education from CSUSand while attending Boise State University she earned a master’s in exercise and sport studies, along with a doctor of education degree in curriculum and instruction of kinesiology. Young has ancestral roots from Suriname, South America where her biological mother was from before going to San Francisco where Young was born and adopted. Young shared how the biggest challenges she faced so far has to do with the budget, and looking at this as an opportunity to learn more about CPH and collaborate on important decisions.“I learned so much about our college in such an intense and short period of time. I engaged deeply with so many people and I view that as an opportunity. It was challenging, but an amazing incredible opportunity to come together with stakeholders of our college and to prioritize, identify our values, our priorities and make decisions together,” Young said. Young believes something very powerful that students can do while navigating their academic and professional journeys is to engage in work and gain experience.
“It’s the knowledge and skills that you gain through any employment while in school, it gives opportunities to take things that you’ve learned, to take things that you are learning or have learned in any classes or experiences that you’ve had. And you can start applying that in this real world setting of work, which is life. Work is life,” Young said. Rochelle Agers, a transfer student at CPH who is part of the social work department, volunteered to be part of the inaugural Dean’s Students Advisory Council. Agers shared some words about Young’s presence on campus.
“She [Young] made me feel I literally could reach out to her for any problem big and small,” Agers said. “I don’t know what the dean of ProfessionalStudies is supposed to do, and if that’s the regular protocol to be so accessible,but her attention gave me a desire to want to even do better, do more for her. She is proud of our school. She is proud of our students. I’m really proud to know Shawna. She is dynamic, infectious and genuine.”
Young’s most rewarding experience so far has been making great connections and trusted relationships, this is also what motivates her as she commutes every week from her home in the Central Valley.
“Truly what is most rewarding so far in this role has been just the opportunity to be able to develop really treasured relationships with the people who I work with,” Young said. “There’s no way I could mentally and physically do what I do to do this work, if I didn’t treasure the relationships with people so much. People. Relationships. And a feeling that the work that we’re doing matters and impacts people’s lives.”Young is always learning new skills to help her improve her quality of life, she enjoys fitness as it helps her upkeep her well-being in a mental, emotional and physical way. “What I do enjoy is, quite frankly, learning new skills that are going to somehow be very practical and help me improve quality of life in some way. I have enjoyed learning how to fly because it is part of my commuting plan to fly rather than driving six hours every week. So that has been something, I have a pilot certificate now so I can fly. Really quite a privilege to be able to do that,” Young said.
Young earned her private pilot certification in September 2023 and is working on earning her instrumental rating so she’s able to fly in cloudy conditions. She welcomes emails or walk-in’s from students who have questions, interest or a part of the College of Professional Studies.
