Sheila Bustillos

Sheila Bustillos

Title & Department: Director for DSA Assessment

"My job is to bring out the best work in my colleagues and share that great work with their stakeholders. I am an assessment director by skill and a story teller by choice. My training in quantitative and qualitative analyses are used to answer pressing questions my colleagues have about how to better serve students at UNT. I conduct research and assessment to answer these questions and also bring cutting edge research-informed, best-practices in assessment to our partnerships so the division of student affairs can use data to inform our practices."

How do you work with students? --- "I spend most of my time with staff. However, we have a student assessment leader in the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, Sara that will work with our team doing data collection and analysis. We conduct research and assessment projects with students, as well. Ultimately, all of the assessment we do in our office measures the impact students experience when participating in DSA events and programs."

What is your favorite part about working at UNT? --- "I worked as a state-level child welfare researcher before coming back to higher education. There is no better place to work than a college campus. The energy is dynamic as students embark on a new life journey. Students at UNT are particularly fabulous—you can see their work ethic play out in the job feedback we get from employers who love our students, because they are prepared and equipped with skills to make change in the world. I absolutely love my colleagues in student affairs. They are brilliant, caring, and motivated to bring the very best to the table when serving students. My direct assessment team is one of a kind. We joke and support each other, while taking our work very seriously. You cannot ask for a better work environment!"

What does Student Affairs mean to you? --- "Student Affairs means student development and learning. Our job is to increase student belonging and increase knowledge of co-curricular learning so that students served in student affairs are stronger in the classroom, in the workplace, and in their communities. It means hard work and connection so that students trust us to care for their co-curricular experiences."

How have UNT students impacted your life? --- "UNT students keep me young and connected to life’s energy. I’m not on social media, so I love having conversations with students about what matters most to them. I’m constantly growing and learning from interactions with them."

Fun fact about you? --- "I used to do stand up comedy in Austin, Tx. I am a huge fan of all comedy, especially stand up, and read often about comedy and about comedians’ lives."