By Jessica Lien

As the university's largest college, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) spans more than 30 departments and countless disciplines, perspectives, and areas of expertise. That breadth presents a challenge: how do you help people across dozens of units feel connected to something larger than themselves? 

That's where Shonda comes in.

Seeing and recognizing CLAS

For many years, CLAS was one of the few colleges that did not participate in the University of Iowa's Homecoming weekend in a meaningful way. Monette was among the group that changed that, helping create a tradition that would eventually bring together representatives from every corner of the college.

In 2023, CLAS joined many other Iowa entities walking in the Homecoming parade. When the day finally arrived, almost every CLAS department had someone walking in it. Bright yellow signs stretched above the crowd as faculty and staff made their way through downtown Iowa City, representing not only the various majors within the college, but the collective areas of study and interest that make CLAS remarkable.

"Walking in the parade was everything," Monette said. "It was so rewarding. There was so much pride and community in that walk."

What stayed with her most, though? The voices from the crowd. People cheered and called out when they recognized their department. "They saw themselves represented, and were genuinely enthusiastic," Monette recalled.

For Monette, the parade revealed something she had experienced for years in the Department of Chemistry, where a culture of partnership and mutual respect had helped shape her career. Though people spent most of the year working in separate offices and buildings, they belonged to something larger. Homecoming brought that shared identity into the open.

"To have that pride internally, but then to show it on the main stage? It was a great feeling," Monette said.

That experience shaped the way Monette would continue to think about and serve the CLAS community.

Authenticity over paperweights

As a longtime member of CLAS Staff Council's Awards and Recognition Committee, Monette helped rethink the college's longevity awards program. Rather than giving everyone the same acrylic paperweight year after year, recipients were encouraged to choose something meaningful to them from the Hawk Shop. "That felt more authentic," Monette said. "And useful. Who really needs a paperweight these days?”

She decided to take the idea one step further: instead of asking recipients to stop by the Dean's Office to pick up their longevity award, Monette chose to hand-deliver the items herself.

"People shouldn’t always have to come to leadership. We should also go to them. They shouldn't have to wonder who's behind a mysterious door," said Monette.

The effort required extra time and more than a few return trips. But it also created opportunities she might not otherwise have had.

She visited buildings she had never seen before.

One stop led her deep into the backstage workspaces of the Department of Theatre Arts, where a stage manager's office sat tucked away. What she expected to be a quick delivery turned into a glimpse of an entirely different world—remarkably busy, meticulously organized.

At each stop, she experienced more of CLAS's unique culture. Recipients showed off their selections, modeled their Hawkeye gear, shared stories, and thanked her for making the trip.

There are many ways leaders try to motivate employees, but Monette's people-first approach reinforced something simpler: people want to feel seen. Connection, she believes, matters more than incentives.

"There is a stark difference in engagement when someone knows that they've been seen, they've been heard," Monette said.

That belief now guides her work as president of CLAS Staff Council.

Looking forward: culture, leadership, and CLAS Staff Council

Created to strengthen communication and represent staff across the college, CLAS Staff Council serves as a bridge between employees and college leadership. But Monette's vision extends beyond surveys and email announcements.

"We want to bring people to the table in conversation—a representation of viewpoints," she said. "In CLAS, one of the best things I've seen over the years is this emerging culture of transparency. And transparency begins with leadership."

Over the coming year, she hopes council members will visit departmental staff meetings throughout CLAS, introducing themselves face-to-face, and creating opportunities for conversations that might not happen otherwise.

"I just want people to know we're really here for them," Monette said. "And I'm here to listen—not just to see you, but acknowledge you, your work, and what you contribute."

In a college as large and varied as CLAS, creating a sense of connection doesn't happen on its own. For Monette, that's a call to action she embraces wholeheartedly.