Lauren Teso

What year did you start working at NIU?
2011

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
My hometown is Hobart, Indiana, and I live in Rockford, Illinois.

In what department do you work?
Housing and Residential Services

Where did you attend school? What degree(s) did you earn?
Indiana State University, B.S. in English
Indiana State University, M.S. in student affairs and higher education
Northern Illinois University, Ed.D. in higher education administration (all but dissertation)

Describe your typical day—what do you do while at work?
My typical day starts with Starbucks and going through my email to determine what needs my attention first. I love working for Housing and Residential Services, but since it is a 24-hour operation, a lot can happen after hours. Additionally, a lot of my time is spent in meetings working to support the 4,100 students currently living on campus.

What do you like about working at NIU?
I love our student population and enjoy the opportunity to work alongside amazing colleagues who are dedicated to the student experience. NIU is the most diverse institution I have ever worked at, and I appreciate everything our students have shared and taught me about their experiences.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
My biggest piece of advice is to take advantage of resources and get involved as you are able. I attended college on a scholarship for low- and limited-income students in the state of Indiana and was a bit lost when I first went away to college. I quickly became connected with student organizations and secured on-campus employment, which helped me understand everything that was available to me. My last piece of advice would be to find a mentor. My mentor was one of my greatest supports.

What is important for students to know about the office/department that you work in? What student services does your office provide?
I work in Housing and Residential Services. We provide on-campus housing to undergraduate and graduate students in the residence halls and an apartment-style community. Rather than using a traditional programming model, we use a residential curriculum model and focus on scaffolded learning in four focused areas: community and belonging, academic navigation, cultural curiosity and resiliency. Through our curriculum, our staff were able to make a connection point with 93.1% of our residents during the 2022-2023 academic year. Additionally, we work incredibly hard to support our residents through intentional one-on-one interactions, along with events, programs and resources available on campus.

In what ways do you see your colleagues help student success?
I have tremendous colleagues in my department and across campus, and I am able to see the involvement our staff has in retaining students. We have worked incredibly hard to help residents navigate registering for classes, including reaching out to residents individually. Our staff help students navigate holds and put them in touch with resources to make sure they can have a successful semester.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
My favorite memory will continue to be when our football team played in the Orange Bowl. I loved how the NIU community came together for our student-athletes and that we were able to provide a low-cost option for our students to attend the game. I loved watching all of the Huskie spirit and how we came together institutionally to foster community, pride and tradition.

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?
I am most proud of how my department pulled together in March 2020 to develop a plan to move students safely out of the residence halls during a global pandemic. For the most part, there is typically a crisis protocol or process to follow, but this was new to everyone working in the department. With the help of the larger campus community and staff/faculty who were willing to lend their time to help out, we successfully moved students out in a safe manner and continued to prioritize our residents who were housing insecure or could not make it home safely. It was not an easy task and not at all how staff planned on welcoming students back from spring break.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
Watching the amazing team I am able to work with on a daily basis come together and often do incredibly hard work to support the residents living on campus. I have an amazing team of full-time, graduate assistants and student staff who are dedicated to the success of students and really want to help them be successful. I love hearing about the personal wins of my team and watching staff develop professionally. I also love engaging with students and find the most joy when I am able to help a student who either randomly comes into my office or looks like they need assistance on campus.

Which of NIU’s core values align with your own?
I truly believe in NIU's core values, but currently, I am focused on service and stewardship. I am in a profession focused on helping and supporting others' successes. Working in housing is both an adventure and a unique experience because you have the opportunity to really connect with students outside of the classroom. I am able to support students personally and academically and love to watch them grow, develop and serve NIU as they graduate. Additionally, I work incredibly hard to train over 300 staff members each year on the abundance of resources NIU has to offer to better support students.

Have you contributed to any NIU Foundation fundraising campaigns such as the Day of Giving or Huskies United? If yes, why did you decided to support NIU?
Yes, the university runs on money, and while I am nowhere near an expert on funding sources, I know that the university needs to continue to rely on fundraising to support scholarship opportunities, as well as initiatives like the student emergency fund. I have always given to my alma mater, and I have always given to the university I currently work for. I believe in long-term giving, and I will continue to support NIU through both campaigns.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
I originally wanted to be a lawyer. I contemplated starting the law school process my junior year, but I ended up taking the GRE instead of the LSAT and went on to pursue a master's degree in student affairs. I had an amazing mentor during college who really supported me personally and professionally and encouraged me to go into the field of student affairs. I held various leadership roles in campus organizations and loved being involved in programming and collaborating across campus. I am currently in my 17th year of full-time experience, and I could not imagine choosing a different profession.

Are you participating in or have you participated in any NIU shared governance or professional development groups? If so, how has your participation enhanced your experience as an employee?
I am involved in Supportive Professional Staff (SPS) Council. I had previously been involved in Operating Staff Council and served as a representative to University Council. I love being able to represent other staff on campus and work alongside others to better support our needs. I also participated in the inaugural Staff Professional Development Academy and thoroughly enjoyed my time. I was able to engage with thought leaders from across the entire institution and expand my own professional knowledge of how NIU works. While I have worked at NIU since 2011, I have appreciated the ways the institution has supported the professional development of staff, and I continue to find ways to be engaged and commit to my own development.

Are you a member of or hold a position within a professional or community organization? If so, what organization? What is the purpose of that organization and how does being part of this organization benefit you in your role at NIU?
No, I previously served on a board position for a regional housing organization, but I am currently taking a break from extra involvement.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I enjoy reading and can often be seen with my Kindle and a cup of coffee. I bought a Peloton bike during the pandemic, and it's been a great asset to my continued wellness journey.

Do you have any hobbies or interesting personal pursuits you're involved with in your spare time?
My current hobbies include finishing writing my dissertation.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
I honestly came to NIU thinking I would be here for about three years, and I’m currently in my 13th year. I cannot imagine working anywhere else, and I truly believe in our values and the work we do to serve our students. I understand what it is like to be a student who feels lost and does not know where to start. I hope my presence on campus has contributed positively to our students and furthered our mission.