Austen Shipley, '16 BS, '18 MED

Coming from the small town of Globe, Arizona, in 2012, the sheer scale of ASU felt like a different world. As a freshman Business Management major at W.P. Carey, I moved into Adelphi Commons II with a mix of excitement and nerves. However, my trajectory was set the moment I joined the Leadership Scholarship Program (LSP). Coming from a small town and entering one of the largest institutions, LSP gave me a shoreline; it provided the confidence and sense of belonging I needed to dive headfirst into the ASU experience.

I found my place on campus through involvement, serving as a Student Orientation Leader, Peer Programmer in Sonora Hall, a Community Assistant in Hassayampa West and Hayden South, and eventually a Camp Carey Director. I found success through involvement including leadership in the Business School Council, Sun Devil Quidditch team, Student Admissions and Relations Team (START), and Delta Sigma Pi. Whether I was advising peers or chairing the Game Day Experience Committee, ASU became more than a school - it was HOME.

This passion led me to the Higher and Postsecondary Education graduate program in 2016. Transitioning to a graduate Management Intern at the Memorial Union allowed me to understand my true calling in community building. As an advisor for the Programming and Activities Board, I had the opportunity to coordinate signature events like Infernofest, Devilpalooza, and the Homecoming Parade. These events taught me that the Sun Devil spirit is built through intentional community. In fact, one of my favorite Sun Devil memories was when I helped coordinate the Lantern Walk homecoming tradition and then getting to be on field with the t-shirt cannon for the homecoming game itself!

ASU didn't just give me a career; it gave me my family (literally).  While working within the Memorial Union team, I met my future wife, Tessie Bracken (now Shipley; 2018 grad) who served as a Management Intern for Student Events and Programming prior to serving on the Student Organizations team. The impact of the ASU community was so profound that when Tessie and I got married, Dr. Ben Davis - a long-time mentor and former supervisor of Tessie and I - was the one who officiated our wedding! In 2023, Tessie and I moved to Ohio to join the team at Kent State University, where we once again get to work alongside Dr. Ben Davis. Today, I serve as the Assistant Director of Student Leadership Development, overseeing the Pepsi Leadership Center.

Every day, I draw on the lessons I learned at W.P. Carey, the Memorial Union, and Arizona State University. I am who I am today - professionally driven and mindful of inclusivity - because ASU took a kid from a small mining town and showed him how to innovate, lead, and, most importantly, build a community that lasts a lifetime.

Once a Sun Devil, Always a Sun Devil.