June Huggins, Center for Mentoring and Student Outreach, IU Southeast

And as a result of her work with elementary, junior high, high school and college students, Huggins received one of the three Women of Achievement Awards conferred by the New Albany Business and Professional Women.

Huggins said the award rejuvenated and reaffirmed her work with young people.

“It served as a spark to keep the passion burning brightly for what I do,” she said.

But what is really reaffirming for Huggins is the fact that 10 out of 12 of the IUS program participants who graduated from New Albany High School last May have gone on to college. She also reaps rewards in smaller ways, such as the look of confidence a student exhibits when she praises his or her achievements.

The Center for Mentoring and Student Outreach provides programs and services to promote the sustained success of post-secondary education attainment and retention of students from elementary school level through college. The office handles these programs:

• the IU Southeast Mentoring Program pairs faculty, staff, alumni or community members with students, especially freshmen, to ensure their educational process is meeting their needs and to give them overall guidance and encouragement;

• Student Outreach College Preparatory Program for high school and junior high school students;

• CPI—College Preparatory Initiative, established through a Lilly Endowment grant, to expand the Student Outreach program to include five more elementary and middle schools. The program not only involves students but engages parents in helping their children aspire toward a future in higher education. Tutoring by IU Southeast students also is provided.

A native of East Chicago, Huggins has devoted her career to higher education. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from IU Bloomington, specializing in college student personnel administration. She originally considered a career as a social worker.

However, higher education became her chosen path. Huggins went to work for three universities—Western Illinois in Macomb, Purdue and University of Louisville—before taking the job in 1995 as coordinator of the Multicultural Enhancement Office, which recently adopted its current name.

Since that time, Huggins and her staff have worked with hundreds of students through programs designed to steer them toward a college degree. She said she takes her job seriously because she sees herself as a role model for young people.

“I believe in young people and their potential. It’s up to me and other adults to be there for them in nurturing them and giving them the tools to succeed,” Huggins said. “I also believe we need to set a high expectation for young people because they’ll shoot for whatever expectations you have for them. I just feel honored to be in this field.”