Centering the Student Experience: LizAnette Pérez-LeBoeuf is Your Guide for Success in the Honors College
By Nina Prenosil
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Meet LizAnette Pérez-LeBoeuf, the director of advising at Commonwealth Honors College. Early on in her career, Pérez-LeBoeuf discovered her love for working in the collegiate environment and obtained her master's of education in higher education in student affairs at Salem State. She found herself ready to leave the oceanside and head inland to Western Massachusetts, and eventually found herself pursuing her passions at UMass Amherst. She began as a residence director in Melville and Thoreau residence halls where she oversaw the Emerging Scholars program. Now Pérez-LeBoeuf is the director of advising, where she supports her team and CHC students in making sure they have what they need to be successful not only in their academic careers — but passions and interests as well.
Pérez-LeBoeuf spoke about how one of the most important aspects of her job is making sure that academic advising information is always accessible to students. She shared that she wants students to always come to advising for help if they need it because staying on track is the key to success in the Honors College.
Currently, Pérez-LeBoeuf noted that she loves being able to generate new ideas that help the Honors College to be more efficient, effective, and more caring. “I really love where CHC is right now in the sense that we’re growing and evolving.”
In her opinion, the Honors College is full of faculty and staff that have a student-forward lens. She shared that she never makes a decision without thinking about how it is going to impact the student or how she would feel as the student themselves. She credits this to her experience working in the resident halls and engaging face-to-face with students.
“I got to be in the residence halls at two a.m. chatting with students and hearing about their concerns,” she explains.
When speaking with Pérez-LeBoeuf, her love for the students and community was abundantly clear. She said that seeing a student’s face light up after identifying options to address to their concerns is what excites her to come to work every day. Her impact and the connections she has made with students throughout the years is what made Pérez-LeBoeuf fall in love with working in higher education.
Pérez-LeBoeuf then shared where she feels the Honors College is headed in the future.
"I think that we’re strengthening our communication as a college specifically and we have some really brilliant minds here right now who want to do really amazing things.”
She also expressed excitement about the Honors College collaborating with other schools and colleges within UMass, and working together to best support shared and potential students.
It was clear that one of Pérez-LeBoeuf’s favorite things about UMass is all of the opportunities that are available. Before we wrapped up, she shared that she feels it is vital for students to never stop exploring new things during their time in college. She wants students to use all of the resources that are at their disposal and take advantage of this opportune time in their lives.
“I feel like once students find their people and find their niche, that’s what they stick to... And that can close doors, but I’m a big proponent of keeping all of your options open until the last possible second. Just because you fell in love with improv doesn’t mean you can’t do chess club… continue putting yourself out there because I think life will present new and exciting experiences for you.”