For Newman University alumnus Jalen Love ’16, ’18, the best part of his job is seeing his students grow.
Love is a Wichita native who received a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Newman in 2016 and a master’s degree in organizational leadership in 2018. Since June 2021, Love has been working full time as the dean of students for DSST Public Schools — a network of 15 public schools serving middle and high school students in Denver and Aurora, Colorado.
“Our students come from many different backgrounds and lived experiences, but being able to see them grow as whole humans is the most rewarding part,” he said.
While Love has a number of duties as dean, some of the most prominent ones are coaching and managing teachers, as well as leading the student culture, leadership team, instructional team and culture team.
“I am a Big Brother and mentor to a ton of our kids who look like myself,” he said. “I like to say I wear many hats in my role as a dean of students.”
Led to greatness
As a student at Newman, Love was involved in 360Five, a YouTube channel depicting life at the university. Along with Justin Ralph and Kati (Bush) Ralph, he helped start the organization and turn it into something really special for the Newman community. He also played on the men’s basketball team — an experience he says has put him in rooms he never thought he would be in.
Love explained he had two stints at Newman: one as an undergraduate basketball player after being recruited as a transfer from the University of Denver and another as a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team under Head Men’s Basketball Coach RJ Allen.
He also played in a men’s league. One time, he played a game against a team that included Mike Perez, the athletic director of his current school, DSST Public Schools.
Later, Love connected with some parents who were starting a club basketball team that would be a feeder team for the DSST’s high school.
“When I arrived to the gym, I saw Mike Perez, and the connection started there,” Love said. “He liked the way I interacted with the players as well as my knowledge for the game. He said he would hire me to be a basketball coach at the high school, and I took the opportunity and ran with it.”
After coaching for two years, the dean of student’s position opened up and Love applied.
It’s a role he credits his Newman experience with preparing him for.
“I am a firm believer that you cannot be one-sided in today’s society,” Love said. “You have to be multifaceted, and I think Newman taught me that. When getting my master’s degree from Newman, I learned how to talk to adults with positive intent, and that has helped me with helping teachers become their best self in the classroom.”
“Our students come from many different backgrounds and lived experiences, but being able to see them grow as whole humans is the most rewarding part.”
Jalen Love
Earn a degree in Organizational Leadership
Knowing how to help navigate and transform an organization successfully and efficiently through good times as well as challenging times is essential in today’s ever-changing business environment.
