“I See You, I Value You and I Hear You”: An Interview with President Evans
By Lexi Davis
Walking into the President’s office, I am immediately met with a sense of home. Sunlight streams through the window, warming my body and placing me in a state of relaxation. President Evans greets me. She offers me hot chocolate, which I take graciously. I sink into a red and white cushioned seat at a rich dark hazel table, and as I begin to ask her questions I feel myself being transported into her world.
President Evans' job is full of wonder and variety. Whether it is waking up at 3 am to prepare for the Isabel Wilkerson event or meeting individually with each member of her University leadership team, President Evans is always busy representing the University and making this institution a better place for students, faculty and staff. As we dove deeper into the specifics of her day-to-day life, President Evans’ face lit up in particular when discussing her favorite type of meeting: the meetings with the whole University leadership team. She loves the “synergy of the group together,” where they can “bounce ideas off” each other. Her enthusiasm for listening to different viewpoints was radiant, showing her love for her job.
What makes President Evans stand out, however, is that no matter what she has going on in her busy schedule, she always finds time for the students. For example, when she isn’t off campus, she ensures her executive assistant doesn’t schedule meetings during lunch. She loves to spend that time eating her favorite dish—chicken and wild rice soup—and conversing with the students. She told me, “I’m a mom, a human being, and I just want to see how things are going with you.”
Another example of how active President Evans is throughout campus is that she has attended multiple sporting events. Considering she was a student athlete herself and participated in softball, she is greatly committed to the experience. Just recently, she attended the softball fundraiser, where she picked up a bat for the first time in 30 years and participated in the fundraiser by hitting all three softballs in a row. Outside of that, she has gone to other sporting events as well, such as volleyball and soccer games.
When listening to President Evans talk about how strong her commitment is to the students, a question slowly began to form in my head: why? Why did she choose to become a college President, and where did her commitment to students come from?
In asking these questions, President Evans took me on her journey. After graduating high school at 16, she went to medical school, where she struggled. In those moments of hardship, President Evans learned that she didn’t want people to feel as alone in their struggles as she did. She wanted to help students succeed. In understanding this about herself, she went into counseling, mainly wanting to become a faculty member in counseling after receiving her PhD. As she became a faculty member, she “saw people that were leading that didn’t look a lot like me.” Her vision, then, became clear: “I wanted for people like you to look at me and say as a female, I can be a university president, or as a female of color, I can be a university president.” She told me that this mission was particularly personal because of the words her “grandmother who raised me, a strong woman” once shared with her: “When much is given, much is required. What are you going to do with it, and how do you help lift and serve?”
President Evans poses for a Give to St. Kate’s Day shoot. Photo courtesy of St. Catherine University/Rebecca Slater
In listening to her story and her passion for helping uplift others, I felt extremely moved. Our time was slowly coming to a close, so I asked her one final question: “What is your message to students?”
President Evans answered slowly, and I could hear the emotion in her voice. “I see you, I value you and I hear you.” There was a beat as those words sunk in. “The only way I can do that is by being present, being available, being a resource. Higher education is challenging, but it is also a window to open up to the world. I want students to embrace that.” She continues, stating: “I want the students to know that I am going to give you the resources to be as prepared as you possibly can be, and I want you to take advantage of those resources.”
I sat there momentarily, reflecting on how deep those words hit me. Not only had President Evans transported me into her world, but she had transported me into her mission and her values. I could feel how much she cares about everyone at St. Catherine University. As the interview ended and I left her office, tears formed in my eyes. Even though the interview was intended to be about her, she still somehow accomplished precisely what she said in her message: she made me feel seen, valued and heard.
