-- When Jennifer Schuller was appointed president of Lake Erie College (LEC) in Painesville, Ohio, she knew she would not lead from an ivory tower. Schuller is accustomed to enacting tangible change in education, as her 25 years of leadership experience in higher education were rooted in fundraising and development. In 2023, her first year as president, she used this experience to elevate the college in exciting ways.
“I’m a working president,” says Schuller. “I love to dig into the actual work, whether it’s growing enrollment or fundraising—anything where you see the results of your efforts at play.”
Student-Centered Thinking
Schuller is the first woman president of LEC in 75 years, a notable accolade considering the college used to be famously women-only. In the early 20th century, people from all over came to watch student athletes—then only women—compete in sports, including equestrian activities. LEC was also a hub in the women’s suffrage movement, and a previous president was even close friends with Susan B. Anthony.
Stepping into this rich history, Schuller began by addressing LEC’s modern challenges. First was a significant budget deficit, which was greatly reduced in her first year.
Next was engaging the administration in more student-centered thinking.
“Instead of assuming students will come to us with feedback, we listened actively and learned what changes they wanted, then we implemented them,” she says.
These changes included switching to a food service provider with healthier options—critical for the student athletes who comprise 80% of the school’s student population—and extending the hours of the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic & Wellness Center and the Commuter Student Lounge.
Schuller’s team also focused on imbuing the student experience with a missing element: fun. “We had to define what the nonathletic, nonclassroom experience at LEC looks like, so we added more old-fashioned traditions and festivities to our calendar,” she says.
At one Student Day event, students had fun climbing walls, completing a scavenger hunt, singing karaoke, and participating in a paint-and-sip event led by Schuller, who is an artist herself.
“I’ve never seen a group of students turn out for coordinated activities with such enthusiasm,” she says. “The real reward was the emails I received from older students saying the difference in the school experience was night and day.”
Under Schuller’s tenure, LEC has continued to meaningfully integrate career opportunities into its curriculum. Students can now round out their expertise by stacking certificates—like obtaining an accounting degree with a certificate in welding. LEC also boasts an active Career Development and Experiential Learning department that identifies new internship opportunities for students and assists with placement.
Schuller says, “By identifying our workforce needs and building programs around those, combined with our robust academic support services, we’re focused on what students need throughout their four years to set them up for success after graduation.”
For Schuller, the work she’s begun has only been possible because of LEC’s community. “From top-notch faculty and staff and amazing students to the City of Painesville and Lake County commissioners, I am grateful for the support of so many people.”
“I’ve never seen a group of students turn out for coordinated activities with such enthusiasm.”
Contact Info:
Name: Connie Skingel
Email: Send Email
Organization: Lake Erie College
Address: 391 W Washington Street Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: 440-375-7000
Website: https://www.lec.edu
Release ID: 89144574
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