Kathleen Gilbert

I would say my commitment to serving others, which is guided by my faith, along with compassion and consistency. When you serve others, especially when it comes to basic needs, it really takes heart. I show up every day with a purpose, and even when it's a long day and resources are limited - because in the nonprofit world, resources are always limited - just showing up every day and being consistent creates that meaningful impact over time.

Never underestimate the power of your voice and your vision. Especially in higher education and the nonprofit subsector with food access and clothing access, these spaces are always evolving, so there's so much room for innovation. That's how I was able to build out this position. You have to be willing to step into a leadership role and advocate for your ideas and challenge those systems that aren't working. Take the time to understand both the operational and human sides of the work - data matters, and I think we all get caught up in that, but at the end of the day, it's about people and those relationships. Most importantly, especially in service areas, take care of yourself so that you can continue to take care of others.

One of the biggest challenges is the growing demand for basic needs support, especially among college students, but in the community in general. However, that same challenge also presents a big opportunity, because it makes us have to rethink how institutions address student success holistically. Programs like the ones I oversee - a food pantry and career closet - these aren't just extra programs. These are being seen, due to not just my work but others across the nation, as essential to student success. I think it helps us advocate for change at the institutional and policy level.

My values - faith, integrity, service, and community - are at the core of everything that I do. I believe in meeting people where they are, treating everyone with dignity, and making sure I'm creating space where everyone feels seen and supported.