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Riley J. Jelenick | he, him, his

(704) 778-2934 | rjelenick17@gmail.com
Woo - Communication - Achiever - Harmony - Competition

EDUCATION
Western Carolina University Expected Graduation: May 2021
Higher Education Student Affairs, M.Ed.

Western Carolina University Graduated: May 2019

Major: Psychology
Concentration in: Psychology and Social Issues of Gender

Central Piedmont Community College Transferred After: Fall 2015

WORK EXPERIENCE
Graduate Assistant Aug. 2019 - Present
Department of Intercultural Affairs
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Facilitate social identity group sessions for first-year minority students
• Plan and organize school wide production such as Tunnel of Oppression, a visual reenactment of systems of
oppression and Sex Myths
• Advise and create mentorship opportunities with underserved and underrepresented students
• Plan and organize a Cultural Immersion Excursion trip to give students the opportunity to travel and experience
something new to them
• Facilitate LGBTQ+ workshops such as Safe Zone, Trans 101, Legal Issues, and Bi+
• Create ongoing educational workshops around the LGBTQ+ community
• Assist with ongoing assessment such as the Safe Zone training program
• Advise student organizations such as Black Student Union

Vice-President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Nov. 2020- Present

Graduate Student Association
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Strategic oversight of education and support programs tailored toward diversity,
equity, and inclusion, and developing a positive culture within the graduate school
• Serve as the liaison with the Chief Diversity Officer or its equivalent to develop recruitment strategies and
increase minoritized student enrollment as defined by the EEO law
• Addresses concerns related to equality, inclusion, and student safety through all campus programs
• Collaborate with the VP-PR to create posts (via Instagram, Facebook, etc.) to promote diversity & inclusion
programming

Summer Camps and Conference Intern May 2020 – July 2020

Office of Residential Living
Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
• Create a dream residence hall with rationale for why each piece was chosen
• Develop a leadership curriculum for summer conference assistants
• Describe the Mission, Vision, Values, and Gifts of Ignatius at Xavier University
• Differentiate between a large, public, and small, private, religiously based institution
• Solve problems/issues surrounding campus facilities situations
• Evaluate personal growth during the ACUHO-I's tenure
• Compare and contrast technological systems from his previous systems and ours
• Recognize information obtained through student, staff, faculty interactions
• Evaluate learning moments of adjustment from internship at Xavier University and previous/current institution
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Graduate Intern Jan. 2020 – May 2020

Office of Higher Education Student Affairs
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Assist in Fall 2020 admissions while serving on HESA Admissions committee
• Serve on the HESA Advisory Board
• Serve on the review funding for travel grant committee
• Coordinate communication with prospective students and applicants through recruitment via open houses,
conferences, class visits, and various group pages on social media
• Rank applicants for admissions for the incoming cohort
• Manage onboarding for all incoming cohort by contacting and connecting students through email and social
media

PRESENTATIONS
Jelenick, R. J., (2020). Whee have P.R.I.D.E: Unpacking inclusive excellence. Whee Lead Conference. Cullowhee, North
Carolina.
Jelenick, R. J., (2020). Faculty members perceptions of transgender and gender non-conforming student. Graduate
Poster: Graduate Research Symposium. Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Jelenick, R. J., (2020). Bi+: Non-monosexual identities. Safe Zone Workshop: Department of Intercultural Affairs.
Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Jelenick, R. J., (2020). Living in multiple spaces. Department of Intercultural Affairs. Cullowhee, North Carolina.
Jelenick, R. J., & Paulk, D. S., (2019). Love all, serve all: The impact of being queer informed. Carolina Conference on
Queer Youth. Charlotte, North Carolina.
Coleman, K., & Jelenick, R. J., (2017). Trans 101. Safe Zone Workshop: Department of Intercultural Affairs. Cullowhee,
North Carolina.
Coleman, K., & Jelenick, R. J., (2018). Legal issues. Safe Zone Workshop: Department of Intercultural Affairs.
Cullowhee, North Carolina.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES & MEMBERSHIPS

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC:
• Western Carolina University Strategic Planning Committee Jan. 2021- Present
• Admissions Committee Member, Higher Education Student Affairs Graduate Program Jan. 2020- Present
• Advisory Committee Member, Higher Education Student Affairs Graduate Program Jan. 2020- Present
• Hearing Board Member, Department of Student Community Ethics Aug. 2020- Present
• Advisory Committee Member, Department of Intercultural Affairs Aug. 2019- Present
• LGBTQ+ Working Group Aug. 2019- Present
• Ambassador, Higher Education Student Affairs Graduate Program Aug. 2019 – Present
• Stage Manager- Pride Week at WCU Drag Show Sep. 2019
• Pride Week at WCU Committee Member Aug. 2019- Sep. 2019
• Search Committee, Department of Student Community Ethics July 2020- Aug. 2020
• Martin Luther King Jr. Week Committee Member Dec. 2019- Jan. 2020

National Scholarship Provides Association (NSPA) Joined: Sep. 2020

ACPA20 Joined: March 2020
Music City Conference Center, Nashville, TN

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Safe Zone Training Educational Panels Sep. 2016 - Present
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Southwestern Community College, Sylva, NC
• Disseminate attendees with personal experiences/queer community
• Advise attendees on how to manage situations that may arise with LGBTQ+ identifying students
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Queer Talk Radio Show
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC Oct. 2018 – May 2019
• Founder of Western Carolina University’s first queer podcast
• Proud cohost of Queer Talk; broadcast from Western Carolina’s own Power 90.5
• Assist in creating experiences that educate others about social justice issues

Stonewall 50 Uprising Info Booth Sep. 2019

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Created educational info graphic and broacher for the 50th anniversary of Stonewall Uprising
• Organized and operated tabling event outside of pride week drag show

Executive Administration Panel April 2019

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Correspond with higher administration about the need for inclusion understanding of queer students at WCU

Provost Council Panel

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC Nov. 2018
• Facilitated conversation with Academic Deans from all acting departments
• Provided insight to improve the resources available to the queer community on campus

FAB Five Panel Nov. 2018

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Assisted in creating the first panel on queer students specific to students in a residence hall
• Communicated through personal testimony about the need for acceptance in residence halls

Higher Education Graduate Program Panel

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC Feb. 2018 - May 2019
• Unique LGBTQ+ educational panel for the first-year cohort with the HESA graduate program at Western
Carolina
• Guided conversation regarding queer students’ success at a collegiate setting

HONORS & AWARDS

NPHC Stroll Fest Judge Oct. 2019
Department Greek Community Engagement
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Chancellor’s Alumni Awards Brunch Oct. 2019

College of Education and Allied Professions
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Intercultural Affairs Graduation Celebration Speaker April 2019

Department of Intercultural Affairs
Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

CERTIFICATIONS
Mental Health First Aider Feb. 2021
National Council for Behavioral Health
• Three-year certification; Date Expiration: Feb. 20, 2025

American Red Cross CPR/AED Feb. 2019

Wilderness First Aid
• Two-year certification; Date of Expiration: Feb 04, 2021

CITI Program: Basic Course Human Research; Social/Behavioral Research Sep. 2017
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• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative Program; Five-year certification; Curriculum Group- Human
Research, Course Leaner Group-Social/Behavioral Research, Stage- 1 Basic Course; Date of Expiration: Sep 18,
2022

Safe Zone Certified Nov. 2016

• Trained as an Ally of the LGBTQ+ community through Western Carolina Universities Safe Zone Training to be a
safe place for individuals of the community to have a safe place and person to confide in

TECHINCAL PROFICEIENCIES
• Zoom Microsoft Office Share Points
• AppReview Qualtrics Engage (Campus Labs)
• Canva SPSS iMovie
• Adobe Software