2008 Woodie Awards
Jen Siecienski: "The new Randy Shannon"
Elizabeth Snyder
Issue date: 9/5/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
If a student is having roommate problems this year and sends off an e-mail to Randy Shannon requesting a room change, an automatic reply will inform the student that Shannon is no longer at Smith College and will refer the student to the new Housing Coordinator, Jennifer Siecienski (pronounced sih-CHAIN-ski).
After serving eight years as the absolute authority of Smith housing, Shannon left his position this summer to move to Boston with his family.
Siecienski, referred to by some in passing as "the new Randy Shannon," moved to Northampton last year from California specifically to work at Smith College.
"I'm a die-hard feminist and I wanted to work at a women's institution," said Siecienski.
Siecienski, along with her partner Leo, two children Emma, 5, and Abby, 2, and two cats, Acorn and Isaac, moved to Northampton in August 2005, where Siecienski accepted the job of Area Coordinator in the West Quad.
After working for a year as an Area Coordinator, Siecienski accepted the post of Housing Coordinator and began work in her new position on July 17. Siecienski spent a week in training with Shannon and then had roughly a month to prepare for the arrival of students back on campus.
Siecienski acknowledged replacing a legendary figure such as Randy Shannon in a complicated job such as Housing Coordinator can be daunting.
"Oh my god, that man [Randy Shannon] is a saint," said Siecienski. "It is overwhelming. There is so much to do, and I don't know how he did it all. With ease, no less."
As Housing Coordinator, Siecienski hopes to make a lot of the housing processes easier, but is not yet sure how she is going to accomplish this.
Siecienski grew up in Thomaston, Connecticut. She did graduate work in higher education administration at the University of Toledo in Ohio. The birth of a daughter delayed the completion of her thesis, which she hopes to finish writing this year.
Students may see Siecienski around campus catching frogs with her daughters in the Botanical Garden fountain, or eating at her favorite area restaurants, Luna Pizza in Northampton and Great Wall in Florence.
Siecienski's office is in Clark Hall 106. Her office hours are Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. E-mail is the best method to contact Siecienski; her e-mail address is jsiecien@smith.edu.
After serving eight years as the absolute authority of Smith housing, Shannon left his position this summer to move to Boston with his family.
Siecienski, referred to by some in passing as "the new Randy Shannon," moved to Northampton last year from California specifically to work at Smith College.
"I'm a die-hard feminist and I wanted to work at a women's institution," said Siecienski.
Siecienski, along with her partner Leo, two children Emma, 5, and Abby, 2, and two cats, Acorn and Isaac, moved to Northampton in August 2005, where Siecienski accepted the job of Area Coordinator in the West Quad.
After working for a year as an Area Coordinator, Siecienski accepted the post of Housing Coordinator and began work in her new position on July 17. Siecienski spent a week in training with Shannon and then had roughly a month to prepare for the arrival of students back on campus.
Siecienski acknowledged replacing a legendary figure such as Randy Shannon in a complicated job such as Housing Coordinator can be daunting.
"Oh my god, that man [Randy Shannon] is a saint," said Siecienski. "It is overwhelming. There is so much to do, and I don't know how he did it all. With ease, no less."
As Housing Coordinator, Siecienski hopes to make a lot of the housing processes easier, but is not yet sure how she is going to accomplish this.
Siecienski grew up in Thomaston, Connecticut. She did graduate work in higher education administration at the University of Toledo in Ohio. The birth of a daughter delayed the completion of her thesis, which she hopes to finish writing this year.
Students may see Siecienski around campus catching frogs with her daughters in the Botanical Garden fountain, or eating at her favorite area restaurants, Luna Pizza in Northampton and Great Wall in Florence.
Siecienski's office is in Clark Hall 106. Her office hours are Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. E-mail is the best method to contact Siecienski; her e-mail address is jsiecien@smith.edu.
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