Kate Vetter, who joined Bradley in June as assistant director for programming in the student activities office, aims to give students the autonomy to be successful outside the classroom.
“In student affairs, we talk a lot about the world outside academics,” Vetter said. “In order to be a successful student, you can do more things than just study and go to class.”
Vetter oversees the student driven programs Activities Council for Bradley University (ACBU) and Late Night BU (LNBU). She works with the students to help them become leaders and show them the value of time spent outside the classroom.
“I’m fully a believer that students can do great things when given the resources and tools to be able to do so,” Vetter said. “My biggest goal is just to make sure that the students that are in ACBU or Late Night are being as much of a leader as they can be.”
Vetter empowers the students in different programs and aids them in the areas they need.
“She’s very helpful and very patient,” Kayla Pettis, freshman philosophy major and involved in LNBU, said. “She’s like the mother of the group.”
Cara Wood, director of the student activities office, knew that the office was looking for someone with direct experience working with student activities. Vetter’s job as a graduate assistant for campus activities at Marquette University proved that she knew how to plan events, manage large budgets and work with student leaders.
“We felt like she would be a good fit and a good transition to Bradley,” Wood said.
Vetter said that programming is important to have on campus activities because it creates a community for students to be involved.
“I have seen the truly tremendous passion that these students have for the work that they’re doing,” Vetter said. “It is fabulous to see students caring so much about so many different areas … The students have really shaped my experience at Bradley so far.”
Wood said she appreciates how Vetter is intentional and proactive, and is impressed with Vetter’s attitude toward the position. Wood is looking forward to the new ideas and opportunities that Vetter can bring to the table.
“Even though she may not necessarily have experienced something at Bradley before, she’s always investigating how it was done, getting a lot of the student input which is really valued in our office and putting on programs for students,” Wood said.
Vetter originally wanted to be an elementary school teacher, but during her time at Marquette University she ran the equivalent to Bradley’s LNBU and started the path towards working in higher education with an emphasis on student affairs.
“I loved making an impact through programming and through presentations on campus,” Vetter said.
Vetter said she is excited to be a part of the energy on campus and to help it flourish.
“I have discovered through these seven months [here] that Bradley has a lot of potential in where it’s going,” Vetter said. “And the students on this campus definitely make that potential possible.”
