It’s no secret that VTSU-Castleton has its fair share of unwavering support for students from its dedicated faculty and staff. Within Academic Support, workers are incredibly aware of that kind of dedication. 

Upon entering Academic Support, students are met with the bright and upbeat personality that is Michele Stanley, staff assistant in the department. 

Her desk is placed perfectly at the entrance and after four years as a staff member, Stanley knows its services like the back of her hand. She is efficiently able to understand a student’s needs and determine which service would be best suited, whether it be an individual peer tutor, a follow-up with other staff, or drop-in tutoring. 

Referring to herself as the “gatekeeper,” Stanley takes pride in greeting and navigating those when walking in and ensuring they are comfortable in the space. 

“She gets to know each and every one of the students that comes into Academic Support, which all students enjoy. It makes them feel welcomed and comfortable and they always choose to go to Michele with any problems or questions they have,” said Learning Center Assistant and VTSU senior Alissa Benson.

“I love working with people… I love to interact with people,” Stanley said. 

Before her current influential role in Castleton’s Academic Support, Stanley was driven by her education, previous employment and personal pursuits. 

Stanley is a proud first-generation college student who grew up in a single-parent household. To support her education, she spent her summer breaks, weekends and holidays working as a nanny.

After putting herself through school, Stanley graduated from Adirondack Community College in Queensbury, New York with a degree in Hotel Management. Following graduation, Stanley spent six years working as a Hotel Manager in Massachusetts. 

By the time she was 28, Stanley had broken through the glass ceiling and landed in top management with 250 employees working for her. Her journey to this position was not without its challenges though and she soured in a male-dominated industry. 

Stanley also worked as a resident manager at Killington before putting the hotel lifestyle in the rearview mirror and making the transition into a daytime job. 

“I did not want that 80-hour week, seven days a week, holidays, weekends. So, I decided to get a weekday job. And where do you find a weekday job? In academia,” said Stanley.

While looking for a daytime job, Stanley’s eye was caught after seeing a position in Castleton’s Admissions Office. 

Determined to further her education, Stanley began her position and attentively pecked away the requirements to obtain a minor at Castleton in marketing. She took classes during her lunch breaks and took evening classes after an entire day’s work while maintaining her full-time job.

Stanley completed her requirements and obtained the minor in 2008.

She emphasizes the significance of a college education for both herself and the students within the Castleton community. 

“I truly do believe in higher education… I believe that we’ve got to get these students a higher education. It’s just valuable,” she said.

Her commitment to supporting Castleton students stretches wide, as Stanley has become a vital contact for many students looking for guidance. 

“There have been many times where I have had questions about certain topics and didn’t know where to go. I’ll ask Michele and she’ll make a few phone calls and have the answer for me. I’ve seen her do this for many other students,” said Learning Center Assistant and VTSU junior, Drew Conant.

Her reputation as a valuable resource isn’t reserved only for students. Co-workers in the department also notice her hands-on approach and support for everyone. 

“She takes time to get to know them as individuals. I’ve often described her as the cool aunt. She’s just a wonderful presence in our department,” said Doe Dahm, Writing and Humanities development coordinator in Academic Support.

She spreads the message of how positively impacted students’ post-grad lives can be when they receive higher education, including gaining professional life experience, instead of the endless grind of an over-consuming job. She stresses the importance of students entering into a job they want to do and something they can see themselves doing. 

After 18 years in Admissions, Stanley made the switch to Academic Support, where she has remained in her current position for the past four years. 

As staff assistant in the department, it could be argued that Stanley is one of its most important figureheads. 

“We have many students coming in and they need assistance. It’s trying to determine what they really do need, and navigating them to the correct service,” she said. “There’s lots of options for them.”

Stanley’s dedication to finding the correct resource for her students is clear, as she’s known for going the extra mile at whatever cost. 

“She takes every challenge seriously and will run through all of the resources and people that she knows to try to find a solution. I think her most important concern is helping students, and she won’t quit in helping them,” said Rachel Mark, director of Academic Support on Castleton’s Campus.

“She is my go-to person for any problems or questions I have whether it is school related or life related,” Benson said, illustrating Marks’ comment.

Academic Support serves over 600 students who return for six or more visits throughout the academic year.  

“That’s really good and really helpful because then we can hopefully get them on a good track,” Stanley said.

“She supports not only her students, but also other faculty in Academic Support. Michele is an amazing resource and has been a lifeline for me since I stepped on to campus the first day freshman year,” said Learning Center Assistant and VTSU junior Emma Patria. 

But she’s not all just about work. Now at the age of 60, Stanley is determined to step away from the desk and keep herself physically active during her free time and during the weekends.

She can often be found in hiking locations like Billings Farm’s Carriage Trails in Woodstock or Mt. Philo in Vergennes.

“I also ride bicycles. It’s not unlike me to ride 22 miles. I like the ride into West Rutland and back, that’s 24-miles round trip. I ride now down into Hampton, into Whitehall, and come back out,” she said.  

After a previous stroke, and a bilateral knee replacement five years ago, Stanley was determined to remain active and soon discovered biking, quickly evolving into her favorite hobby. 

“I will happily approve of her leaving early on a beautiful day so she can take a bike ride because I know she’s always the first person here in the morning,” Mark said.

During her off time, Stanley can also be found traveling the East Coast with her husband, taking a week off twice a year to spend some well-deserved vacation time. Oftentimes she’s visiting family in South Carolina, or spending time in Florida during Vermont’s harsh Februarys. This year, Stanley has her trip planned to St. Augustine. 

While visiting Florida, Stanley enjoys participating in group-organized bike rides on main roads escorted by police. She has participated in the Gran Fondo Florida Ride, out of Delray Beach with Louis Garneau, the cycle-wear manufacturer, and their group out of Canada. 

“Louis Garneau… has a great cohort of people down there, and we used to ride with all the Canadians down there. You meet amazing, wonderful people, no matter where you travel, but when you’re bicycling, people just seem to be really friendly,” said Stanley.  

Stanley recalls when she went to Colorado in 2011, she was able to meet many riders from the Tour de France, like Cadel Evans, an Australian Cyclist who won the Tour that year.  

“They’re in a parking lot with all their buses and everything you see on TV. You can walk right up to them. We talked to Levi Leipheimer’s doctor about what kind of foods they feed him, and the nutrition supplements they give him. It was just so interesting,” she said. 

Stanley attributes her activities away from the desk, to allowing her to put her all into her job on campus.  

“I’m passionate about being healthy, I’m passionate about my travel. Making time for your students, but also yourself outside of work, having a life away from the desk. You have to, it’s a high-energy job,” said Stanley. 

Balancing the demands of her role and maintaining her personal well-being is a notable factor that Stanley emphasizes in her life, allowing her to be more readily available to help students. 

“I think that students appreciate Michele because she is almost always available and she always has the answers,” said Learning Center Assistant and VTSU senior Chris Sharpe. 

Stanley said she’s always been able to self-evaluate herself, and kept it in her toolbox throughout her education and professional life.  

“You know we’re always trying to achieve. Just like your personal life, you always have to evaluate your life and try to make things better. With me, it’s how can I eat better, how can I exercise better, how can I make myself better,” said Stanley. 

As for Academic Support, Stanley continues to share the services it offers, and the department as a whole. Tutoring, helping with writing assignments, understanding syllabi, transitioning from high school to college, getting organized, and creating study habits are just a few of the terms on the tip of her tongue.  

But, her work goes beyond the everyday services provided in the department. It’s more about making a lasting and meaningful impact on VTSU students’ lives. 

“This is the most rewarding job… and if you don’t do a good job, you’re messing with people’s lives. That’s why it’s so important to be passionate, be empathetic, and be understanding, and the whole world’s not like that. I think that’s a huge asset that Castleton has for itself,” she said.