Jes Takla

Associate Dean for Campus Life, Co-Curricular Learning, and Assessment

she/her

jes takla

Office Hours: (On Campus) Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • Professional
  • Biography

Education

  • Ph.D. (student), Higher Education, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, 2023 (anticipated)
  • M.A., College Student Personnel, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 2008
  • B.F.A., Photography & Fiber Material Studies, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2006

Responsibilities

Departmental Leadership

  • Co-lead the departments of Residential Life and Student Engagement with Associate Vice President for Campus Life
  • Supervise Community Directors (CDs) and co-Advise Residence Hall Association (RHA); provide support for all Campus Life student leaders and employees (e.g., ASPLU, RHA, Student Activities Board, Clubs & Organizations, Resident Assistants, Front Desk Workers, Residence Hall Councils, New Student Orientation Guides, Interns, and others)
  • Coordinate Campus Life “Teams” for strategic planning initiatives, including: co-curricular learning, leadership, resource management, marketing, and assessment

Care & Connection

  • Serve as a resource for all PLU students, including direct support for ~1300 students living in nine residence halls and collaboration with Commuter & Transfer Student Services to bridge residential and commuting student experiences
  • Serve as liaison for students’ families/communities as extended members of the Lute community
  • Provide administrative-level crisis response for entire university (on a rotating basis)

Co-Curricular Learning

  • Provide oversight for the implementation and assessment of Campus Life co-curricular learning, including Learning Communities (LCs) and LC Linked Courses
  • Co-Coordinate the Student Leadership Working Group, an interdepartmental/divisional university committee focused on campus-wide coordination of student leader co-curricular programming/events, selection and hire, training and professional development, and other ongoing shared resources/initiatives

Selected Publications

Selected Presentations

  • ACPA Annual Convention, Flourish and flow: Cultivating creative mindfulness to support student success, Houston, TX (March 2018)
  • NASPA Annual Conference, Flourish and flow: Cultivating creative mindfulness to support student success, Philadelphia, PA (March 2018)
  • NASPA Annual Conference, It takes a village: Storytelling as a marketing tool (Small Colleges and Universities Division Featured Program), New Orleans, LA (March 2015)
  • ACPA Annual Convention, It takes a village: Storytelling as a marketing tool (Exceptional Practices Program), Tampa, FL (March 2015)
  • Washington Higher Education Sustainability Conference,, unPLUg, Bellingham, WA (February 2014)
  • PACURH Annual Conference, unPLUg, Spokane, WA (November 2013)

Professional Memberships/Organizations

  • Phi Kappa Phi | Honor Society , (2018 - Present)
  • ACUHO-I & NWACUHO | Association/Northwest Association of College and University Housing Officers - International , (2013 - Present)
  • NACURH & PACURH | National Association/Pacific Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls , (2013 - Present)
  • NASPA | Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education , (2008 - Present)
  • ACPA| American College Personnel Association , (2006 - Present)

Biography

Jes began working at PLU in 2013. Prior to PLU, she worked at her undergraduate alma mater, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, in their Campus Life department for five years (2008-2013) after completing her masters degree from Bowling Green State University in 2008. Jes grew up in a Navy family and has lived in many places, including Virginia, Hawaii, Florida, Spain, Chicago, Ohio, and the Pacific Northwest. She is excited to be at PLU because she loves working with learning communities and having conversations around creativity, DJS (diversity, justice, and sustainability), identity development, vocation, and purpose. Outside of work, Jes enjoys spending time with her wife, family, friends, and dogs and exploring the many cultural and arts opportunities the Pacific Northwest has to offer.