Jeremiah Shinn

As institutions navigate the complexities of student needs, creativity, and civil discourse, leaders in Student Affairs are constantly exploring new ways to engage and support students beyond the classroom.

In this interview, Jack Eagle, Co-Host of The Interview, sits down with Jeremiah Shinn, Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management at Boise State University, to gain insight into his unique approach to student success and institutional leadership. Jeremiah shares his perspectives on fostering a sense of belonging, promoting creativity and innovation within the institution, and navigating the challenges of civil discourse in Higher Education (HE). 

Jeremiah’s Journey

Jack: Can we start with an introduction to your current role and institution?

I serve as the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Boise State University. This is actually my second tenure here – I previously spent ten years at Boise State as a Director, Assistant Vice President, and Associate Vice President. In 2019, I left to become the Vice President for Student Affairs at LSU – an outstanding institution, where I proudly served for four years. Now, I’m in my third year back in Boise, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back home.

Throughout my career, I’ve invested a lot of time and passion into this university, and I feel fortunate to be back in this role. Boise State enrolls about 27,000 students, and we are deeply focused on continuous improvement. Change is our currency – we always strive to be more relevant and efficient so that we can better serve our students and our state. Since I first arrived in 2010, we’ve nearly doubled our six-year graduation rate and more than quadrupled our four-year graduation rate. We’re proud of these accomplishments and remain committed to pushing forward.

Jack: What is it that makes Boise State so special to you?

Boise State is a place where we get to be creative. I believe creativity often emerges from constraints, and we certainly don’t have the resources that some other universities do. That drives us to be scrappy, innovative, and always thinking about how to improve.

A lot of people recognize Boise State because of our football team and our iconic blue turf. But in many ways, our football program is a metaphor for our university. It has overachieved, punched above its weight, and put itself on the national map through creativity and determination. That same spirit defines our approach as an institution – we find ways to maximize our impact, and those of us who work here are deeply invested in its mission and our students.

Jack: How do you create a sense of belonging at your institution?

First and foremost, I want every student who comes to Boise State to feel that this is their home and their community. We know that students perform better academically when they feel a sense of belonging. However, we also recognize that too many students experience significant barriers to success. For them to reap the full benefits of our academic and student success initiatives, we have to remain mindful of attending to the fundamentals

We focus on the fundamentals. Our job is to ensure that the 153 hours students spend outside the classroom each week are designed to help them succeed during the 15 or so hours they spend inside the classroom. We’re not in competition with the academic enterprise – we are in service to it. Every interaction, program, service, event, and experience should reinforce the message that Boise State is built for them and that they belong here.

Jack: What are some of the key areas where you engage students outside the classroom?

Rather than focusing on specific topics, we focus on creating an environment where students can shape their own experiences. We offer comprehensive residence life programs, wellness initiatives, student organizations, intramurals, and countless other opportunities for students to get involved.

I think Student Affairs as a field has experienced some “scope creep” over the years, where activities that were once student-led have been taken on by staff. That shift was well-intentioned and often well-executed, but it reduced opportunities for students to take the lead in shaping their own experiences. Our role should be to do for students what they lack the expertise to do, but when it comes to exploring interests and building community, we are often more uniquely positioned to serve in a supportive role rather than a coordinating one.

Reflecting on my own college experience, I learned so much through student organizations and leadership roles – planning, failing, and succeeding. We had incredible staff and advisors to guide us, but ultimately, we were in the driver’s seat. I think there’s a real opportunity, not just at Boise State but nationwide, to put students back in the driver’s seat while allowing staff to focus on the specialized support services that enable student success.

Jack: You mentioned that creativity and innovation play a big role at Boise. How does that connect to supporting students in their journey?

For the past two years, the President’s Executive Team has set a top-level priority of making it easier for students to succeed here. It’s a simple but profound goal. Within my division, I’ve challenged our staff to find at least 100 ways – both big and small – to make students’ lives easier.

So far, we’ve documented over 150 improvements, from reducing financial aid wait times to enabling students to access their dining dollars via their Starbucks card. Some changes are major, others are minor, but collectively, they add up to make the student experience a little bit easier each year. We believe that when students encounter fewer obstacles, they’re better positioned for success, regardless of their background or prior experience navigating HE.

Jack: I’d love to hear more about how you engage students on critical topics like speaking across difference.

Civility doesn’t require agreement or consensus, but it does require an underlying belief that every individual is a valuable contributor to our campus community and deserves respect. We are committed to maintaining an environment where students are free to learn, and by definition, learning involves engaging with new and sometimes challenging ideas.

At Boise State, we emphasize open inquiry and free expression. Learning doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything you hear – sometimes you will, sometimes you won’t. The university is a place to navigate that tension. We embrace an institutional neutrality approach, meaning we don’t put our fingers on the scale when it comes to student perspectives. Instead, we emphasize that students are responsible for their own learning, for reaching their own conclusions, and for engaging with others in a civil manner. It can be uncomfortable, but that’s exactly what a university should be about.

Jack: What resources or initiatives do you have to support these conversations?

We embed these discussions in both the curriculum and the co-curriculum. One initiative we’re particularly proud of is our Institute for Advancing American Values. This entity promotes free expression and open inquiry through a speaker series, student fellowships, and campus-wide conversations. The foundation of this work is civility – learning to listen, challenge ideas respectfully, and form independent conclusions.

Jack: What piece of advice would you most like to pass on to others in the sector?

Two things come to mind. First, focus on what you can control. There’s so much in our world that’s beyond our influence, and it’s easy to get bogged down by those limitations. But if we focus on our sphere of influence, we can make real, meaningful progress.

Second, be easy to work with. Build strong, trusting relationships with colleagues. I’ve found that when I make things easier for others, they tend to do the same for me. It’s incredible what can be accomplished when people work together in a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration.