Michael Beane, Ed.D., Dean of Student Development at Scott Community College

1. Please describe your role on campus.

As the Dean of Student Development at Scott Community College, part of the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges district, I oversee student services on our Scott campus in Bettendorf/Davenport. My responsibilities include managing advising, Trio programs, student engagement, athletics, and addressing student conduct and other issues. I supervise our mental health counselor, ensuring that student wellness is a central focus of our services.

2. How do you lead and interface with mental health and well-being on your campus?

In my role, I oversee our full-time mental health counselor, who has a crucial role in integrating mental health support across campus. Our Scott campus counselor conducts educational programs like Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training and collaborates with student engagement initiatives such as Healthy Relationships Week. These efforts extend mental health awareness and support beyond individual counseling sessions, reaching students, faculty, and staff and fostering a campus-wide culture of wellness.

3. Would you share a story where you were concerned about something or someone, and the steps you took that either helped and/or left you considering how you would do it differently?

A recurring concern involves responding to student-written assignments that suggest potential mental health struggles. When instructors report these, we use tools like the Violence Risk Assessment of Written Word and collaborate with our Behavioral Intervention Team to assess risk and take appropriate steps to support the student. These situations lead me to reflect on whether the intervention was sufficient and to consider ways to improve future responses. Establishing structured processes makes it easier to act decisively and effectively in these scenarios.

4. Could you tell us about one high point and one low point in your work?

• High Point: A significant high point in my role was the successful addition of a full-time campus counselor, transitioning from limited contracted services to a robust student mental health resource. This achievement was the result of years of advocacy and has greatly improved our campus's ability to support student wellness. 

• Low Point: In contrast, a low point was navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted learning and highlighted the difficulties faced by community college students who often lacked reliable technology and internet access at home.

5. Is there something which you would like to normalize for others, where they may think they cannot share it?

One area I would like to normalize is students seeking help for basic needs like housing and food. Many students feel isolated in these struggles, yet research shows that 10-14% of community college students experience housing insecurity. By having a counselor with a social work background, we are able to connect students with internal resources such as emergency grants and food pantries, as well as external community resources. My goal is to help students understand that asking for support is a strength and an important step toward success.

3 Self-Care Strategies Michael Swears By

1. Boundaries are here to help. Create clear boundaries between personal and professional life to avoid burnout caused by blurred lines, especially in higher education.
2. Take time to look back. Practice reflection by regularly reviewing past decisions and experiences to learn and grow from them, which reduces future stress.
3. Move your body. Prioritize physical activity. For me, this means starting my day with a 4 a.m. gym session, which helps me stay energized and focused.