By ALEX WHEELER
Features Editor
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Lai-Monte Hunter joined The College of Saint Rose’s campus in July 2014 as the new director of the Office of Intercultural Leadership– and he couldn’t be happier about his decision to come here.
The Chronicle got to sit down and catch up with Hunter, who has now been working at the college for going on two months. He is ecstatic about his office and the college in general, citing students’ attitudes as a huge factor.
Hunter originally started his own college career out in Missouri, where he studied criminal justice at Western Missouri State University and started his journey into educational administration. Hunter was, and still is, invested in broadening students’ horizons from a cultural and leadership perspective. He wanted “to help people not be introduced into the correctional system.”
Hunter reflected on leadership, saying, “I always knew that I would be a leader in such shape or fashion, and saw myself in some sort of administrational role.” Some of his previous roles on other college campuses include organizing student activities and working with fraternities and sororities.
Hunter’s move to Saint Rose was described as a smooth one that felt natural. “Coming to Saint Rose was a perfect opportunity,” he rejoiced. “It feels like I’ve been here for many, many years already. The faculty and staff have been very welcoming and nurturing.” Hunter believes that his position here now at the College has offered him an opportunity to work with underrepresented groups within the community– and that is just what he aims to do.
“I believe in mentorship,” said Hunter. He has some personal mentors that he goes to with questions and whose advice he trusts. Mentorship is important to Hunter and he really stressed to The Chronicle that mentorship is a key thing that the Office of Intercultural Leadership has to offer.
Aside from mentorship, Hunter went on to list other services the Office of Intercultural Leadership offers. It assists students with becoming better acclimated with campus and it offers various types of programming, including cultural dialogues, study halls, mentorships, and most importantly, Safe Zone trainings. Hunter informed The Chronicle that the College will be seeing a Safe Zone training from the office sometime in October– so keep your calendars open. Safe Zone trainings revolve around educating students about identity and related concepts.
Hunter’s favorite part about the Saint Rose community thus far is that the students expand their reach outside the campus community. Hunter’s favorite encounter with students was a time when he was sitting and talking with them in the dining hall.
“The students were telling me about how ALANA affected their initial Saint Rose relationships and that they are still connected to this office. For me, that told me that I would be in the right place that would allow me to do the thing that I love to do,” Hunter said. “They couldn’t have put me in a better spot here.”
Hunter is eager is learn more about the College’s culture and how we integrate ourselves into the outside community– he is pleased to see that continual reach out. Hunter looks forward to more community service events, saying that it is a major part of his background. Compared to the previous universities that Hunter has worked and studied at, he believes that the Saint Rose culture “is different… students that I’ve encountered are more conscious of the walls outside the academy. The culture at Saint Rose is one that embraces, that looks to reach out and seek out opportunities beyond themselves,” he says.
Hunter says that the thing he is looking forward to the most is “having an opportunity to see what students want, and how we [at the Office of Intercultural Leadership] can shape your experience at Saint Rose.” He also looks forward to students coming to him with programming ideas, cultural dialogues, mentorship opportunities, and input on what the Office can offer the student community and beyond. So, stop on in to the Office of Intercultural Leadership. Lai-Monte Hunter is here, and waiting for the conversation to get started.
