Director of Student Activities and Leadership Development Leilani Kupo, who has been a resource and friend to countless student leaders over the past five years, will resign at the end of this year.

“I have heard many students express their fears regarding Leilani’s leav[ing],” said Jason C. Harris ’09, member of the WSA Leadership Development Steering Committee. “It has been said that this campus may fall apart without her. She is the one resource that students use most often [and] that this University cannot do without.”

As stated in an all-campus e-mail, Kupo intends to complete her doctorate in higher education administration at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. According to Kupo, once she completes the doctoral program, she hopes to become a dean of students or the director of a university center at a mid-size or large university.

“I will complete two years of course work and a dissertation, which I hope to complete in one year, after the required course work,” Kupo said. “I am planning to research the intersection of social justice education training and leadership development training models and how and why they can [or] cannot be effectively combined into one comprehensive leadership training model.”

Kupo came to the University in 2001 from her previous position as a residence hall director at Ferris State University in Michigan.

“A friend of mine saw the position posting and thought I would be interested,” Kupo said in an e-mail. “I realized that I was more interested in working with student organizations, so I thought this job would be a better fit for me professionally.”

Kupo’s office provided help for student group leaders on campus, not only funding but also organizational skills and leadership development. Kupo personally designed the host-training program, which is provided for hosts of all student-run events on campus.

“[It was] an easy, accessible way to qualify students to host events according to University policy,” Harris said.

Kupo’s friendly, casual manner left a strong impression on many students around campus.

“Leilani is not only an administrator, but a friend,” Harris said. “She was able to solve the practical needs of the students while assessing those deeper issues within their hearts and then speaking words of wisdom and comfort. Somehow Leilani has managed to inhabit the hearts of many Wesleyan students, and, thus, she will be greatly missed.”

According to Ryan Moritz ’08, who worked with her when organizing the Queer Prom, Kupo had a strong presence both with ResLife and among the administration.

“When [discussing] Leilani leaving, I initially thought of how pleasant she was during all of our interactions and how willing she was to help with everything I needed,” Moritz said. “She is a wonderful personality in the ResLife office and always has a smile on her face.”

According to Kupo, the best part of her job was working with students.

“Some of the best days I have had were talking with students about their days and what they were looking forward to doing with their futures,” she said.

Kupo said enthusiasm was something she appreciated among the student leaders she worked with.

“I really enjoyed coming to work each day knowing that I would get to work with someone who would be excited about a program they were planning or excited about something they learned in a class,” she said. “Their energy kept me excited about coming to work each day.”

According to University Center Director and Dean of Campus Programs Rick Culliton, student leaders will be involved in the search process for a new director as they were in 2001, when Kupo was chosen.

The University intends to post the position opening on its website within the next two weeks, and Culliton hopes to have the position filled for the 2006 fall semester.

According to Kupo, her five years of experience working at the University has prepared her for a new position this coming fall.

“I feel very fortunate to have served Wesleyan in the Office Student Activities and Leadership Development,” Kupo said. “I know that my experiences over the past years have helped me better prepare for the next chapter in my life as a graduate student.”