Alumna and Student Affairs staffer Shundeez Faridifar, MBA '19, was recently promoted to director of Student Leadership & Engagement.

Faridifar has worked as the assistant director of Student Activities, advising a majority of the executive student organizations. She also handled oversight of the registered student organizations. Faridifar created and organized Welcome Week, Fall/Spring Orientation and traditional UST events as well. In addition, she organized the centralized leadership process giving students the opportunity to get involved with a leadership role as early as their first year of college.

“I am so pleased to be able to promote my teammate Shundeez to director of Student Leadership & Engagement,” David Hao, associate vice president of Student Affairs and dean of Students, said. “Shundeez has consistently demonstrated excellence, passion and commitment toward her work. She embodies our Student Affairs departmental values of collaboration, trustworthiness and care of the whole person by consistently empowering our students and joining forces with partners across campus.

“In her new role, Shundeez will continue to partner across campus to further build an extraordinary Celt experience centered on student leadership engagement, our Catholic mission and faith integration, and student success,” Hao said.

Bigger and Better Opportunities Coming Soon

Faridifar’s duties will be very similar to her previous position in terms of overall purpose, which is to develop student leaders and engage students outside of the classroom. However, she will have more help to accomplish this with the hiring of a new coordinator.

“It will also give me the opportunity to improve programs and ideas we currently have but also the ability to bring new opportunities to our students overall,” she said. ”This year, we started hosting official University Welcome Weeks, and we hope to continue to develop that. In addition, I am in the beginning stages of working with a sophomore senator, Sofia Sanchez, to create a student leadership council, that will host retreats for students who want to sharpen their current leadership skills or begin to develop them.”

Faridifar Sees New Role as Helping Students to Have a Full College Experience 

“I believe involvement outside of the classroom is an important aspect of education at UST,” she said. “You cannot come to college and just go to class and go home and expect to have the full college experience. You should take full advantage of everything college has to offer, from making new friends, developing new life skills, getting involved and attending events. Try new things and improve your current skills! My new role will help me develop new student leadership opportunities and find ways to engage with students outside of the classroom.”

Faridifar Receives High Marks from Students

Jerry Amomoy ‘21

Faridifar is beloved by students. Senior Cell and Molecular Biology major Jerry Amomoy ‘21 gives her high marks for helping students succeed. “Shundeez has helped foster leaders. She is a mentor who builds and fosters relationships. Shundeez is someone you can rely on to give meaningful and constructive feedback and advice. Whether it's related to our capacity as student leaders or just life in general, she genuinely listens and will always find a way to help you!

“Plus, she leads by example,” Amomoy said. “She never expects something that she would not do. She is continually staying after events to help us clean up and she finds innovative ways to get our ideas executed. Finally, her dedication to helping students become leaders has fostered a particular environment—an environment where student leaders like myself can continue to grow and pass that knowledge to others. In fact, it is one of the most gratifying highlights of my college career to be able to say that I was able to impact another student's college journey! And it started with this wonderful woman's openness and patience to invest in me!”

Eveleny Plata ‘21

 “In my eyes, I believe that her biggest and most meaningful contribution during her time here has been her work with advising countless developing student leaders on campus,” Senior Eveleny Plata ‘21 said. “Whether you work as a student worker in the Student Activities office, volunteer your time as an orientation leader or Freshman Symposium mentor, or are hired as an executive student organization officer, you will walk out as a stronger servant leader. Due to her leadership and mentoring, you will understand true passion and hard work and feel more connected to the community at UST.

“I am very grateful to have a mentor and advisor such as Shundeez Faridifar because of how she inspires me to work harder every day and learn smarter. Our bosses are a reflection of our work and by setting an example of perseverance, dedication and kindness in her job - I have learned to place this into everything I do,” Plata said.

About Faridifar

Faridifar joined UST in 2014. Previous jobs on campus include working as the coordinator of Residence Life (August 2014-June 2017), assistant director of Residence Life (June 2017-October 2017) and assistant director of Student Activities (October 2017-November 2020)

She earned a second master’s degree at UST in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.