Students have seven interactions with Classified Staff before they even step foot in a classroom and meet their first professor.
Make each one count.

Hey, I'm Shanell!
Over my 19 progressive years in higher education - inside and outside of the classroom - I've leaned into the knowledge that when classified staff tap into their natural talents, students persist and campuses thrive.
As a Talent Amplifier with an M.S. in Counseling I combine Gallup-trained expertise with strengths-based education to empower your staff to transform everyday interactions into moments of genuine connection.
The Reality
Your classified professionals are the first faces students see, the voices they hear, and often their lifeline to navigating campus life. Yet traditional professional development rarely shows them how to harness their innate abilities to create these transformational moments.​

Introducing
Understanding Human Needs: A Path to Professional Purpose
A transformative 90-minute professional development keynote session that awakens classified staff to their unique power and positionality in student success.
This innovative session combines strengths-based development with practical application, guiding your classified staff to discover how their natural talents create powerful moments of student connection. Through intentional reflection, guided discussion, and hands-on exercises, participants uncover their unique "area of care" - the sweet spot where their innate abilities meet student needs.
Built specifically for student services professionals, this session transforms your staff's understanding of their daily interactions from routine tasks into purposeful touchpoints. By focusing on human needs and natural talents rather than prescribed scripts or processes, we create sustainable change that’s authentic to each individual.
Ideal for small or large student-facing teams of up to 200 participants, this session serves as both a catalyst for individual growth and a foundation for building a campus culture where every interaction advances student belonging, persistence, and success.
What You'll Experience:
A 90-minute transformative experience including:
Expert facilitation by a career educator and conversation curator for up to 200 participants
Guided Self-Discovery delivered through interactive exercises and reflective activities
→ Reveals each staff member's unique intersection of optimal impact
→ Transforms every student interaction from transactional to intentional
Small Group Collaborative Learning facilitated through carefully curated conversation and peer collaboration
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→ Builds a supportive community of practice
→ Creates lasting networks of support and shared wisdom
True-campus Application using actual scenarios
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→ Connects theory to daily practice
→ Ensures immediate implementation of new insights
Custom Implementation Lesson guides filled with structured reflection tools and action planning guides
→ Captures insights and strategies in real-time
→ Provides an ongoing reference for continued growth
This Isn't Just Another Training
Your classified staff are like lighthouses along a student's journey - each one meant to guide, direct, and illuminate the path. But without awareness of their natural talents, they're lighthouses with dimmed bulbs, operating at a fraction of their potential.
Seven touchpoints. Seven opportunities for connection. Seven moments that could determine whether a student stays or strays.
When your staff discover their innate talents and learn to use them intentionally, they become fully illuminated beacons of support - transforming every interaction from a routine exchange into a moment of genuine connection.
Transform Your Campus's Daily Moments
Schedule Your Session Today
Limited availability for Spring 2025 semester