Advising counselor leaves for Westminster
Darlene Dilley Severeid begins working for Westminster College as assistant director of admissions Nov. 14, a move she hopes will bring her closer to her goal of being dean of students or a college administrator.
The admissions office at Westminster is a different environment than the advising office at College of Eastern Utah, and Severeid is anxious to learn different aspects of college life. At Westminster she will recruit and work with transfer students.
This archived article was written by: Allie Mangum
Darlene Dilley Severeid begins working for Westminster College as assistant director of admissions Nov. 14, a move she hopes will bring her closer to her goal of being dean of students or a college administrator.
The admissions office at Westminster is a different environment than the advising office at College of Eastern Utah, and Severeid is anxious to learn different aspects of college life. At Westminster she will recruit and work with transfer students.
Severeid has been working closely with students for over 10 years. After graduating from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in history, she joined the CEU admissions office in ’93. She began working in the advising office a year later, eventually becoming the director in ’97. She is working on a master’s degree in psychology school counseling through the Utah State University extension.
Severeid revamped the new student orientation CEU. She also made changes to the academic standards policy by adding the suspension and early alert programs. These were implemented to assist at-risk students and give them a “heads up” to prevent them from coming back semester after semester and going nowhere.
Severeid and others in the advising office launched student success workshops to educate students on study skills and test taking. She was also key in developing the nontraditional center in the Computer Business Building. This is an area were nontraditional students can “hang out and do homework.”
Though Westminster is not known for having many nontraditional students, Severeid is planning to establish support systems for these students. Many “transfer students are married or have children” and that is who she will be working with.
Working in advising has given Severeid the satisfaction of watching students’ progression, beginning with class enrollment during orientation to walking across the stage at graduation. “You’re like a parent … so proud.” As one of the most familiar faces on campus, Severeid has meant it to be that way. She has been here to help every student from beginning to transferring.
She plans to maintain a close bond with students at Westminster, being on the “friend end” of education. “I’ll definitely be seen around campus and try to maintain that contact” with students.
As a student Severeid attended CEU on a two-year cheerleading scholarship. “I’ve really been here on and off for half my life.” She will miss supporting the teams and teaching the college success skills class. “I want to thank everybody for all of their support. I’m going to miss them.”
