Cherie LaRocca, who served as the university’s Director of Student Engagement for the past three years, has resigned and relocated to Delgado Community College. Her final day working at the university was Thursday, April 17.
“I’m taking a new position at Delgado Community College in New Orleans,” said LaRocca. “I’m just making a career change.”
LaRocca’s career at the university started immediately after she graduated from graduate school six years ago. She worked as a coordinator for the Student Government Association before subsequently moving into the position of Director for The Office of Greek Life. The Office for Student Engagement was created in 2011, which was when LaRocca accepted the position.
Though LaRocca’s days at Southeastern have come to an end, a new phase of her life and career are beginning and she is satisfied with the experiences she has had at Southeastern. She feels she has learned a lot professionally and personally from her time here.
“I’ve gotten tons out of my time here at Southeastern,” said LaRocca. “I think Southeastern students are such unique leaders. [They] have so much to offer. They definitely make our campus life what it is today. I’ve learned a lot professionally. I started here right out of grad school.”
During her years as a Southeastern employee, LaRocca has been impressed with the leadership and drive exhibited by Southeastern students. She was especially pleased with their attention to giving back to the community through service events.
“[I] definitely learned a lot about working with others and working with students,” said LaRocca. “It’s been really great to see how much our student leaders do for Southeastern, [such as] the changing of our culture to bring more service learning, the creation of the Big Event [and] watching our involved community grow, numbers-wise. Also, our students, watching them from being undergraduates who do so much for our campus and how they go on to be part of our community. It’s all very rewarding.”
LaRocca had mixed emotions about leaving, but she’s satisfied with her time with the university.
“I’ve definitely gained a lot from being here at Southeastern,” said LaRocca. “It’s bittersweet to leave because I’ve loved everything that I’ve done here.”
It has not yet been decided who will fill LaRocca’s former position. According to LaRocca, the university has just begun the search for a new Director of Student Engagement.