Get to Know the Lead Team – Nate Panelo

Get to Know our next Lead Team member, Nate Panelo, who currently serves as Convention Chair for APAN.  He completed his B.A. in Human Services at Western Washington University and his M. Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration at the University of Vermont.  He is currently working as the Ethnic Student Center Coordinator at Western Washington University

What drew you to Student Affairs?

I just stumbled across student affairs when I was in college. I wasn’t a Resident Advisor or an Orientation Advisor. I was a student that was looking for a place where I can belong. I was a first generation college student navigating a predominantly white campus. I got lost one day in the union building and found the Ethnic Student Center. I found my calling getting involved with other clubs and then got roped into leadership opportunities. I ran for the Associated Students Board and held office for two years, and then that is where I found that Student Affairs is actually a thing. It was pretty much history after that, and I found really great mentors to help guide me through the profession. I was very privileged to have many people around me that supported my endeavors, and now I work in the same office that got lost in as an undergrad.

How did you become involved in ACPA/APAN?

I first went to ACPA as a grad student and wanted to somehow get other APIA folks together to just socialize. I remember meeting the Nixon sisters, Glen, Sara, and other amazing professionals in APAN at the 2010 ACPA Convention in Boston. Then I remember when I got a call from Sara Furr asking if I would like to be the social chair for APAN. I knew from that point I would feel like ACPA was going to be my new professional home.

What are you most excited about for Convention?

Unfortunately, I won’t be at convention this year due to limited professional development funds and going to NASPA in Baltimore this year. I was recently awarded the Outstanding New Professional Award for our region and they asked me to attend their ceremony this week at the national conference. It was difficult to choose witch one to go to, but I had to follow through my request to Baltimore. I will miss everyone at the convention though, especially my APAN family that I got bond with for the past 3 years. (Be sure to meet Suresh and rita and the rest of the team. They were my grounding during the past conventions.)

What is one resource (i.e. book, article, film, etc.) you would recommend to any Student Affairs professional to better support APIDA students?

Everyone knows the AAPI in Higher Education book that some of our members authored, but I would also say to continue the #NotYourAsianSidekick twitter tag. It has been inspiring as an API professional to see activist stand up for ignorance in social media. Respect to all the AAPI sisters out there that have been strong willed for their voice on the table, we got your back!

What is the best or most interesting class you have ever taken in high school, college, or graduate school?

The most interesting class I took in college was modern dance. I thought it meant modern hip hop dance… I was wrong. I did find out that my body does NOT flow well with the wind, and I was very humorous when it came to “allowing my body to feel and move to the energy flowing through the room”, but I learned a lot about dance and met some really talented artists who are my close friends today. Just to let you all know, modern dance is not much of what you see on Americas Best Dance Crew. FYI.