The second candidate for the position of senior vice president of student affairs said Thursday he would focus on Iowa State’s principles of community if he were selected for the position.

Jason Pina is the second candidate for the position and holds an education doctorate in higher educational leadership from Johnson and Wales University, he’s also the current vice president for student affairs at Ohio University.

After nearly seven years of dedication to Iowa State students, Martino Harmon, who served as the last senior vice president for student affairs, has moved onto his next adventure at the University of Michigan as the vice president of student life.

Erin Baldwin, assistant vice president for student health and wellness and director of the Thielen Student Health Center, has been serving as the interim senior vice president since June 5.

Pina focused his presentation on the principle of community and said the Student Affairs Office has a unique opportunity to influence and maximize students’ and employees’ time in the community.

“To form the principle of community, we must ask ourselves ‘Can students see it?’” Pina said. “Can you see it in every department? Are we recruiting people that believe in the principles of community? This is the important part of the vision because it is something that I believe in without even stepping foot on the campus.”

Pina said in order to establish and maintain community standards for students in our community, the first function Student Affairs needs to fulfill is personal foundational student needs, such as housing, dining and mental health.

Pina said involvement and leadership are also the keys to having a sense of community.

“Iowa State had hundreds of student organizations that probably put out thousands of student programs,” Pina said. “There are opportunities not just to practice, to have fun and to have serious conversations, but also to provide the platforms for students to think through how they want to be citizens of the world. What leaderships skills they have to give back to the Iowa State community, Ames community and large communities of the world.”

Pina said strengthening the underpinning of the daily work is the building blocks for the division to reach the visions.

“Sometimes we get lost in the vision being something that we may or may not achieve,” Pina said. “The work we do on students’ mental health and sexual assault prevention. The daily work we do will show our community that we aspire to be better than we are now and we are pretty good now.”

Pina also mentioned the reason he applied for the position.

“From my research, Iowa State University really does believe in being student-centered. I didn’t apply to this job with a thought that I can come to Iowa State University and rebuild the division. This division is already quite good.”

Pina said his first step into the job is to figure out who do I need to teach and where to learn.

“We need to ensure the division staff develops and maintains the same type of ethos,” Pina said. “Identifying the diversity in-depth of the connections Student Affairs professionals have with stakeholders we work with both on and off campus.”

Toyia Younger, vice president for leadership development and partnerships for American Association of State Colleges & Universities is the third finalist for the next senior vice president for student affairs at Iowa State University. Younger will participate in virtual interviews Monday and Wednesday.

Online public forums will take place on Webex the second day of each visit and the forum links will also be available on the Office of the President’s website.